


It'll be Fun!

by DotDWizard



Category: Amar a Muerte (TV), Juliantina - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Flirting, Fluff, Jealousy, Juliantina, LGBTQ Character, Lesbian, Love, Mutual Pining, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 44
Words: 60,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29696040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DotDWizard/pseuds/DotDWizard
Summary: Valentina Carvajal is a hard-working professional. After breaking up with her long-time girlfriend, she spends an obscene number of hours working in her accountancy firm and trying to avoid her lonely house.Juliana Valdés is a fun loving, free spirited painter. She doesn’t take life too seriously. Juliana has a weakness for college girls, her relationships are brief, spontaneous, and fun.When they meet at the beach, a fun, holiday romance begins. After exchanging a few passionate nights and only their first names, Valentina and Juliana go back to their normal lives.But, when fate throws them into each other’s path once more, what will happen?___________________________I want to clarify that this story is not mine.This is my translation of the adaption by @Juliantina_py (with permission!)Hope you enjoy.Dot xx
Relationships: Valentina Carvajal & Juliana Valdés, Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés
Comments: 484
Kudos: 222





	1. Chapter 1

Valentina Carvajal gave her assistant a puzzled look. "A vacation? Alone? To a lesbian hot spot?" She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous."

"How long are you going to continue to sulk over her?"

"Sulk? I'm certainly not sulking. It's been eight months since... sinc..." She threw her hands in the air. "It was my best friend, for God's sake. Have I said that?"

"Only about a hundred times," Renata murmured.

"She was sleeping with my best friend," Valentina continued. "Right under my nose. Did I tell you that?"

Renata gave her an amused smile. "A hundred times. And as I said before, she wasn't really your best friend."

Valentina lowered her head to her desk and closed her eyes, still able to see them in her bed; Mayela with a stunned expression on her face and Claudia trying to lay the blame on her, as if she had been the one in bed with her best friend.

"Oh, God, I am still sulking, aren't I?" She opened her eyes to peek at Renata. "I kinda miss her."

"Oh, no you don't. She was a conniving bitch. I never liked her. I told you that from the very beginning."

Valentina lifted her head and smiled. "I was talking about Mayela, not Claudia."

"Well, I did like Mayela, I guess, but I wasn't around her all that much. And you've got to stop thinking of her as your best friend."

"I know." Valentina sat back in her chair and let out a heavy sigh. "God, I hate women."

"Well, you could always join my team," Renata said with a laugh. "I could get Stephen to set you up."

"I don't hate them that much!" She turned to her and smiled. "So, you think I need a vacation, huh?"

Renata nodded. "Yes. Tax season is finally over. I know you're exhausted."

Valentina nodded. Yes, she was exhausted. January through April was always hectic in an accounting firm. But this year she had no reason to go home each evening and instead had spent an obscene number of hours working. She told herself it was her firm and she needed to lead by example, but even she knew she had taken it to the extreme.

It was the house. She should have sold it after Claudia moved out, but it was in the hills of West Austin and close to her office. Even though they'd only lived together for five years... five years, three months and a handful of days... Claudia had put her stamp on it. Claudia was the one with the green thumb who kept the flower beds filled with seasonal plants. Claudia was a chef, and the kitchen was stocked with every cooking gadget imaginable. She had supplied them with delicious meals and frequent dinner parties. That part, she did miss.

Now she hired a landscaping crew to plant her flowers and maintain the lawn. And meals? Well, she cooked sometimes. But cooking for one was depressing. She usually grabbed something on her way home or, less frequently, had dinner out with friends.

Those were the times she missed Mayela the most. They'd known each other for several years before Claudia came into her life. They had always made time for dinner at least once a week. And even though, deep down, she knew it was Claudia's fault, she couldn't bring herself to forgive Mayela. They hadn't spoken since the night she'd caught them in her bed, although Mayela had tried to reach out, at least in the beginning. Now, eight months had passed, and she doubted they could ever get their friendship back. Claudia had moved on too, already living with someone else, an attorney who Valentina had once dated herself.

She shook her head slowly, hating her life at that moment. She would be thirty-five years old by the end of summer and her personal life was as unsettled now as it had been in her twenties. She looked at Renata and gave her a weak smile.

Renata had been working for her since she bought the firm from Mr Diaz, eight years now. She knew that Renata was an excellent judge of character and she should have trusted her when it came to Claudia. Renata had told her once she thought Claudia was devious. That, of course, turned out to be true. And now that Claudia was living with someone else, it was brought to her attention that Claudia's past lovers were all professional women, all with nice homes and equally nice incomes. And Valentina had succumbed to her charm as easily as the others apparently.

"So, tell me about this beach vacation," she prompted.

Renata reached for Valentina's laptop. "It's on Mustang Island. Port Aransas," she said as she pulled up a browser.

"How do you know about it? You're not gay," Valentina said.

"I heard about it from Emmy."

"And who is Emmy?"

"My cousin. She and a group of her friends went there in March." She spun the laptop toward her, showing her a picture of a brightly coloured umbrella stabbed in the sand with two very attractive women lying under it. "It's right on the beach. It was an old three-story hotel but was recently bought over and renovated, they added these cute little cabanas and put in two swimming pools," she said, bringing up another picture. "In one of them, clothing is optional. I'm sure that's the one you will hang out at the most," she said with a laugh.

"Right," Valentina said dryly, arching her eyebrow. The photos did look inviting, though, beautiful, tanned women lounged by the pool drinking cocktails.

"And it's marketed to lesbians?"

"Yes. Emmy said they had a great time there. I think you should try it."

Valentina hesitated. "I'm not sure going there alone sounds all that exciting. It will probably be full of couples." She pointed to the advertisement. "Romantic getaway. My getaway would be anything but romantic," she said.

"I wasn't suggesting this to you because it would be romantic. I was thinking it would be a great place for you to go and recharge and get away from Austin for a week."

Valentina was still hesitant. While it looked fun and all the women in the pictures were smiling and happy, it wasn't really her scene. She'd never been a beach lover and she had her own pool at her house. It would seem like a waste to go the whole way down to Port Aransas just to sit by a pool. Of course, the cabanas looked inviting and the palm trees made it all appear as if it were a tropical paradise. She supposed sitting in the sun relaxing with a fruity drink would be refreshing.

"Well?" Valentina stared at the scene, trying to picture herself there.

"What the hell. I guess I do need to get away."


	2. Chapter 2

  
Juliana Valdés knocked twice on the office door before opening it and peeking her head inside. Tess was on the phone and waved her in with a nod and a smile. Juliana went to the window that overlooked the pool, her gaze traveling over the handful of women who were either splashing in the water or lounging in the sun. Sitting nearest the window on a sun lounger, pulled I little further away from the others, was a beautiful blonde, her eyes were covered by sunglasses but her deep red bikini offered a glimpse of a tantalizing body.

"She arrived this morning," Tess said as she joined her at the window. "She was very reserved. Not your type at all."

"You told me I couldn't hit on your guests," Juliana reminded her.

"I did, didn't I." Tess came closer and pulled her into a hug. "You're early, sis. Where's Camz and Fer?"

"A project came up," she said. "They couldn't make it."

"That's too bad. I was looking forward to seeing them again." She tossed her a set of keys. "But I guess that frees up the suite then. I had someone ask about it yesterday."

Juliana looked at the key, recognising the number. It was the single room she normally stayed in when she came alone. "That's fine. I may not stay the whole week anyway. Macario's been complaining about his lack of fishing days and threatening retirement again." Tess smiled.

"And how is your father?"

"He's good," she said. "You talk to Mom lately?"

"Last week. She and Dad were heading to Florida for their annual trip." Tess eyed her. "You really should call her more often."

"I know. Time gets away, though. You were always the better daughter."

"Stepdaughter," Tess corrected.

Juliana smiled affectionately at her; this woman had been in her life for as long as she could remember. Juliana was five when her mother remarried, and they moved in with Tess and Dave. Tess's own mother had died in a car accident a few years earlier. Tess was only a year older and they'd fallen into a fast friendship, one that had endured through the years, even in high school when they both discovered they were gay, and both wanted to hang out with Missy Graham, the cute tennis player.

Their adult lives took them to different places, though. While her mother and Dave were happily married, Juliana's father, Macario, was quite the opposite. Taking over his father's painting business in Austin, he had nearly run it into the ground. The fact that he had no formal training and a lackadaisical work ethic, meant the business was barely hanging on. Responsibility wasn't in her father's vocabulary. She had realised early on that her father would rather take a day off and head to the lake with a fishing pole and a cooler of beer than finish his painting projects. So, after graduating with a degree in marketing, Juliana rejected the high-paying job that couldn't hold her interest and decided to 'hang out' with her father for a year or so to see if she could put her education to use.

That was seven years ago. The small business her grandfather had started, painting houses, had thrived, and developed into one of the most respected professional painting firms in Austin. Having secured contracts with several of the big builders in town, she had grown their business from three workers, herself, Macario and Juan, to four teams. They now employed nearly thirty people, and even though she ran the business part of things, she still enjoyed going out with a team from time to time and wielding a paintbrush. She also enjoyed hanging out with her father at the lake with a cooler of beer.

"Are you still contemplating a new position with Water's Edge?" Juliana asked, referring to the company that owned the Rainbow Island Resort.

"I don't know. I love it here. It's close to Mom and Dad. It's close to you," Tess said. "I don't really want to relocate."

"I would prefer you to stay here too," Juliana said. "The perks for me are great."

Tess laughed. "Yes, you are quite spoiled, aren't you? Your mother seems to think I should take it, though."

"Why?"

"Because it would be at the corporate level and more money," said Tess. "The last time I had dinner with them, she insinuated I was wasting my skills by managing the resort."

"Yeah. Just like I'm wasting mine by running a painting firm. In her eyes, you only have a successful career if you're stuck at a desk with a computer, in some stupid pokey cubicle."

Tess laughed as her gaze went out to the pool. "Yeah. I much prefer this cubicle." She sat down behind her desk again. "I'm fairly certain I'll turn them down." She paused. "I've met someone."

Juliana grinned. "Really? That's great. When do I get to meet her?"

"We'll have dinner one night this week. She lives in Corpus," Tess said. Her phone rang and she glanced at it. "I guess I should get back to work. Come by my place tonight. We'll celebrate your birthday early. I'll order seafood," she offered as she picked up the phone.

Juliana nodded and waved goodbye, her gaze venturing out the window and landing on an enticing pair of tanned legs. She decided to ignore Tess's rule about her hitting on the guests. She had to meet this woman.


	3. Chapter 3

Valentina sipped her drink, a blue frozen concoction that was sweet and refreshing. She sighed contentedly as she watched two women frolicking in the pool. For the first time in months, she was actually relaxing. She had even followed Renata's advice and turned off her phone. Well, not exactly. She couldn't bring herself to actually turn it off, but she did leave it in her room. There could be an emergency, she reasoned.

She wasn't really worried about the office. She employed two accountants and Renata. She trusted all of them implicitly but especially Renata. She knew she would keep things running smoothly in her absence. Valentina had planned to check in with them occasionally but that was all. Otherwise, she would try her best to keep the office out of her mind. She was here to relax and recharge, as Renata had advised. And she intended to do just that.

"You're going to burn if you're not careful."

Valentina had been so lost in her own thoughts; she hadn't heard the woman approach. She turned her head, finding an attractive young woman watching her with a lazy smile. She held up a bottle of lotion.

"Sunscreen," the woman said. "I highly recommend this brand." Another smile. "And I'll even volunteer my services if you can't reach everything. You know, your back, for example."

While being shocked by the woman's boldness, Valentina smiled, nonetheless. It had been far too many years since someone this young and attractive had flirted with her. Even so, she wasn't really tempted to play along.

"I'm fine. Thank you, though," she said politely. She turned away, hoping the woman would leave.

"I know it's not quite June yet, but you can't be too careful. I'm Juliana, by the way."

Valentina turned to face her, trying to estimate her age. Late twenties, she guessed. She had an infectious smile and long dark flowing hair, just messy enough to make you want to brush it away from her face. She was glad her sunglasses hid her expression; she was shocked by her own thoughts.

"Valentina," she said.

To her surprise, the woman pulled a lounger closer and plopped herself down, still holding the lotion. Valentina noted that the woman was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and wondered if there was a swimsuit beneath her clothes. Everyone else in the pool area was dressed appropriately.

"Valentina. I like it. Are you here for the week?"

Valentina blew out her breath. "While I'm flattered by your attention, I'm really not interested," she said bluntly, hoping the woman would get the hint.

The woman tilted her head, looking bemused. "Interested in what? The lotion?"

Now feeling completely embarrassed, she turned away. Great. She couldn't even discern flirting from normal conversation anymore. She really needed to get out more.

"So? The week?" The woman, Juliana, asked again. "I'm supposed to be here until Saturday," she volunteered.

Valentina wondered how rude it would be if she simply told the woman to leave, that she wanted to be alone. She shoved her sunglasses on top of her head, intending to do just that. But one look into eyes that were too light to be considered brown, too dark to be considered hazel simply stole her breath away. In fact, she couldn't even remember what she'd been about to say. The words that fell out certainly weren't it.

"How old are you?"

Juliana laughed. "For future reference, that's not a great opening line!"

Valentina dropped her sunglasses back over her eyes, hoping to hide her embarrassment. "Forget I asked," she mumbled.

"It's okay. It's actually my birthday this week. I’ll be thirty."

"Oh? You said that pretty easily. Most women cringe at the thought of turning thirty and try to hold on to twenty-nine as long as possible."

"No, I'm good. Age doesn't mean anything really. It's just a number," she said easily. "I'm comfortable with who I am and where I am in life." She tilted her head again. "I'm going to guess you're... oh, I don't know... forty?"

Valentina actually gasped. "Forty? Forty?" God, did she look forty?

Juliana laughed. "I'm kidding! I see age does mean something to you though."

Valentina smiled, playing along with her. "Yes. And for future reference, that's not a great opening line either!" She lightly cleared her throat, feeling the need to share her age for fear Juliana really did think she was forty. "I'm thirty-four. My birthday is a month away."

"Well, when you and I celebrate my birthday later this week, we'll include a toast for yours too."

Valentina raised her eyebrow. "You think we'll celebrate together? Are you always this forward?"

"Only with women who have legs like yours."

Valentina blushed freely now, feeling a bit out of her element. She was not used to such shameless attention. She was trying to think of a polite way to ask the woman to leave her in peace when someone called Juliana's name.

It was Tess, the woman who had checked her in earlier. Juliana turned to Valentina, giving her an apologetic smile.

"I guess my room's ready. Enjoy your sun burn." Juliana gave her a cute smile and gently slipped the lotion between her thighs. Valentina was shocked by the thrill she got from such a simple, yet brazen act. "I'll see you later," Juliana said with a wink.

Valentina watched her walk away, tall and confident, and was stunned to realise her eyes were glued to not only a pair of long legs but a very nice butt. She pulled her gaze away, quickly snatching her drink and sucking a generous amount through the straw.

Yes, she really needed to get out more.


	4. Chapter 4

  
Juliana eyed the last shrimp, then glanced at Tess for permission. "Take it," Tess said with a laugh. "I'd forgotten about your obsession with shrimp."

"It's only an obsession when I'm here on the coast," she said as she bit into the fried shrimp. "Where did you order dinner from? It was delicious."

"Paradise Bar and Grill. They only opened a couple of months ago," Tess said. "Actually, that's where I met Natalie," she said with a smile. "Now, I have an extra fondness for their food."

"So, was it a blind date?"

"You know I don't do blind dates!" Tess said as she reached over and refilled Juliana's wineglass with the crisp, white wine she loved. "You know my friend Rose, right?"

"Yeah," she said as she took a sip of the wine.

"Well, her partner's sister was visiting. So, they wanted to do a group dinner. Turns out Natalie is a friend of her sister." Tess grinned. "Natalie was actually there with a date, but we hit it off immediately. She got my number from Rose and called me two days later."

"So, you like her, huh?"

"Yeah, I like her a lot. I can't wait for you to meet her."

"I take it she's not still dating the other woman?"

Tess shook her head. "That was their first and last date." She leaned her elbows on the table. "I really, really like her."

Juliana noted the wistful look in her sister's eyes, something she'd never seen before. Could she finally be in love? Tess was attractive and clever but had the worst luck with women. She usually fell for those with baggage and drama. Juliana used to tease her about having the worst taste in women. It would be nice if she finally found a keeper.

"So, what about you? Are you still dating that volleyball player?"

Juliana shook her head. "No. She graduated in December. Remember?"

"I can't believe you're still dating college girls!" Tess said with a laugh. "What do they see in you?"

Juliana grinned. "It's my charm, baby. But I hated that she had to leave. She moved to California, she wanted to be part of the beach volleyball scene down there," she said. Her own eyes turned wistful as she pictured Britney in a bikini. "God, but what a body she had!"

"Speaking of bodies, I saw you talking to my new guest out by the pool," Tess said.

"Oh, yeah. She's a cute. She has the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen. Sky blue. I wanted to dive right in," she admitted. But Valentina had covered those baby blues with her sunglasses, hiding them again. "She's intriguing. Not my normal type though. She's almost thirty-five."

"Please don't harass my guests," Tess said with a smile.

"I may have flirted with her a bit. I guess I should find out if she's single, huh?"

"Well, she did come alone. Of course, that doesn't mean anything."

"So, where's she from?"

Tess shook her head. "If you want any more information, you'll have to find out from her. You know I'm a stickler for our privacy policy." She picked up her glass and touched it to Juliana's. "So how does it feel to be thirty?"

"I'll tell you in two days," Juliana said. "But you should know," she teased.

"Turning thirty was traumatic for me, as you probably remember. I doubt you'll have that problem though. You couldn't care less how old you are."

Juliana shrugged. "It's just a number. Just another day."

"Even when we were kids you never really cared about your birthdays," Tess remembered. "You were more interested in the chocolate cake than your presents. I always thought you hated those parties."

"I get that from my dad, I think. He's always been so laid-back, a free spirit," she said. "Macario has always lived life the way he wanted. He didn't care what the norm was, what the rules were, what was acceptable." She shrugged. "Of course, those are the same traits that made Mom divorce him."

"Well, maybe that's why you've always been closer to him than Mom," Tess said.

"She always preferred you anyway," Juliana said. "I was always too much of a tomboy for her taste."

Tess laughed. "I did like playing dress up. And even though I wasn't her biological daughter, I think she was more upset that I was gay than she was about you," she said.

"Yes, she took my coming out in her stride, didn't she?" Juliana laughed. "But you?" Juliana shook her head, smiling. "It might have helped if you hadn't shown up in a pretty dress to tell them," Juliana laughed, remembering the sundress Tess had been wearing.

"God, I was terrified to tell them. And I was much more frightened of your mother than I was of my dad," she said. Tess squeezed her arm affectionately. "Thanks for coming to my rescue that day."

Juliana gave her a smile and nodded. Even though she was younger than Tess, she had come out to her mother two years before Tess had worked up the courage to do so. Tess hid her sexuality all through high school and it wasn't until she was in college that she was able to tell them the truth. As she said, her mother had taken Tess's news a lot harder than when Juliana announced she was gay. Disbelief and shock, then tears had rendered Tess on the verge of tears as well. Juliana, who was still in high school, had made some silly joke and taken Tess away, letting their parents process it alone.

Lupita, her mother, had always treated Tess like her own daughter and Juliana had never been jealous of that. She spent most of her summers in Austin with her dad, leaving Tess behind. And when Juliana headed to college, she moved to Austin where her relationship with her father grew even stronger. She didn't have a bad, or strained, relationship with her mother, but they were never as close as most mothers and daughters are. That was one of the reasons she was so thankful to have Tess while she was growing up. She had always been there to take the pressure off Juliana, especially when it came to her mother.

As they finished the bottle of wine, their conversation drifted to their childhood and they shared memories and laughter as they reminisced. The sisterly bond they shared knew no boundaries, and Juliana was reminded of just how much she loved her, as a sister and as a friend.


	5. Chapter 5

Valentina closed her eyes and relaxed under the warm rays of the early afternoon sun. While she had briefly contemplated a walk to the beach, she dismissed the idea in favour of a sun lounger by the pool. She was still feeling quite lazy, even after sleeping in that morning and taking her time over an early lunch. It was warm but still too early for a fruity drink, so she sipped from her water bottle before placing it underneath the chair.

She had almost... almost... forgotten about the office, and she tried to shove those thoughts away. They could handle things; she knew they could. And if something had happened, Renata would have called. So she relaxed, stretched her arms and legs, reaching for the sun, and enjoying the breeze that blew in from the Gulf.

Another fifteen minutes and she would be ready to plunge into the pool to cool off. She closed her eyes, listening to the muted conversation of the two women splashing in the water. Another woman sat alone, a few loungers away, reading a book. Valentina had seen her yesterday afternoon with an older woman, but she hadn't determined if they were a couple or not.

"I don't see your skin glistening. Does that mean you forgot the lotion again?"

Valentina didn't need to open her eyes to know who it was. She wondered if she just ignored the brunette, would the woman leave.

"I left it with you, if I recall. And again, I'll offer my services if you need any help reaching your back."

Valentina slowly rolled her head to the side, finding Juliana looking much like she had the day before, shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops. She said the first thing that came to mind.

"Do you not swim?"

Juliana tilted her head. "Yes, I love to swim. Why do you ask?"

"Because we're at the pool and you're the only one not wearing a swimsuit."

Juliana grinned. "You want to see me in a swimsuit, do you? A little bikini, maybe?"

"I assure you, that's not what I meant," Valentina said. "I simply asked if you swim."

"Yeah, but I get my swimming in early. At dawn, when the sun is just beginning to lighten the sky. Daybreak. It's a great way to start the day," Juliana said. A mischievous grin spreading across her face. "But I use the other pool. You know, the one where clothing is optional." Her voice lowered. "You know, without a swimsuit. That means naked."

"I know what clothing optional means," Valentina said dryly. She felt herself blushing and was thankful for her sunglasses.

"I don't know if you're into skinny-dipping, but it's the most wonderful thing in the world."

"Not really my thing," she said.

"Really? You could always join me tomorrow morning," Juliana offered. "You should try it. You might like it."

Valentina shook her head. "Look, I'm flattered by your attention. Really. But I'm not interested," she said frankly.

The smile never left Juliana's face. "I thought it was the lotion you weren't interested in."

Valentina couldn't stop the smile that lit her own face, she bit her lip trying to control it, as she recalled their conversation from yesterday. "Yes, that too. And no offense, but you're not my type."

"Really?" Juliana studied her, her gaze traveling slowly over her body, making Valentina a little uncomfortable. "Let me guess," Juliana continued. "Your type is a little more reserved? Conservative? Professional?"

Valentina didn't answer, but Juliana's description was very accurate. And it made her sound very boring.

"And if my assumption is correct, then yeah, those three things don't describe me at all. I guess I'm really not your type."

"That's correct."

Juliana tilted her head, a smile playing on her face. "The obvious solution is... you need a different type."

Again, Juliana's smile was infectious and Valentina found herself returning it.

"But speaking of that, I haven't even asked. Are you in a relationship?"

"No," Valentina said. "Actually, I hate women at the moment."

Juliana laughed heartily, loud enough for the woman reading her book to look up sharply. "Bad breakup?"

"It was a bad breakup nine months ago," she said.

"Nine months? And you're still not over her?" Juliana asked stunned.

"Oh, I am so over her. The fact that I caught her in bed with my best friend is what I'm not quite over yet."

"Ouch."

"Yes. So, you see, it's not just you. I hate all women."

Just as she'd done yesterday, Juliana pulled a sun lounger closer and sat down, swinging her legs up, stretching out and making herself comfortable. Valentina assumed she wasn't planning on leaving any time soon.

"So, do you wanna talk about it?"

Valentina frowned. "Talk about what?"

"You know, this awful, awful person who's made you hate women."

Valentina laughed. "You want to talk about Claudia?"

"How long were you together?" Juliana asked.

"A little over five years," she said. "But I really don't want to talk about her."

"Well, she was obviously crazy. No way would a sane person cheat on you."

Even though Valentina's sunglasses separated them, she could still feel the tug of the attractive young woman. She finally pulled her gaze away, wondering how to respond. She was shocked by the words that spilled from her mouth.

"I don't think I ever really liked her that much anyway."

"Your best friend?"

"No. Claudia." Valentina turned to her, frowning. "How does that happen? I mean, how do you find yourself in a relationship with someone, for five years, and not actually like them?"

"Are you just realising now, that you didn't like her?"

"Yes. Well, no, not right at this minute, no." She leaned her head back against the lounger, her hands coming up to rest above her head. "I knew things were strained between us, but I ignored it. She's a chef, so she worked nights."

"A chef? I didn't see that coming," Juliana said.

"She's very talented, works at a high-end restaurant, but the last few years, we only saw each other in passing." She shrugged before reaching for her water bottle. "I'm an accountant."

Juliana groaned, dropping her head back onto the lounger. "God, and I definitely didn't see that one coming!"

Valentina turned to face the brunette. "What's wrong with my profession?"

"Nothing, just..." Juliana paused for a few seconds. "You are so not my type."

"Well, I'm glad we finally have that established," she said. "Maybe now you'll stop trying to rub lotion on my back."

"I said you weren't my type," said Juliana with a smirk. "I didn't say I was going to stop flirting with you."

"Well then you're wasting your time."

"It's hardly a waste, Valentina. Your body is,” her gaze ran over the blonde’s tanned body, “well, it's perfect. From what I can see of it."

Valentina felt herself blushing again and had to stop herself from grabbing her towel to cover herself. She was proud of her body and didn't mind the compliment, but there was something about the way Juliana looked at her that made her... well, feel heated.

"I'm glad you approve," she managed to say, keeping her gaze on the pool and not on the annoyingly attractive woman flirting with her.

"That skinny-dipping offer is still on the table by the way," Juliana continued with her mission, she was enjoying this flustered Valentina. "I'll be able to give you a better assessment of your body then."

Valentina laughed. "Do you ever give up?"

"Well, if you called the police, I would probably have to."

"Don't tempt me,” she scoffed.

"Am I tempting you? Good. Then we're making progress," Juliana teased.

Valentina shook her head as she laughed. "I already told you, you're wasting your time on me."

"Well, there are worse things," Juliana said. "But I guess I should leave you in peace. I have some errands to run before my dinner date."

"Oh? Did someone fall for your charm?" Valentina taunted.

"No. Sadly, it's with a couple. I'll be the third wheel. Unless you want to join me?" Juliana offered with a smile.

"No, no. Thank you though. You have fun."

Juliana sat up and leaned closer, touching Valentina's thigh with the tip of her finger. Valentina felt a tremor run through her body at the simple touch.

"Don't get too much sun," Juliana whispered. "I'll think about you tonight,” she winked.

Before Valentina could respond, the brunette was gone, leaving with a confident strut that Valentina was beginning to recognise. God, she's cute, she admitted. She also had a pleasant sense of humour if you liked that sort of thing. Which, of course, Valentina didn't.

She was used to reserved, conservative and professional. And boring. She guessed time spent with Juliana would be anything but boring. She sighed. It didn't matter. She was here to relax and recharge, nothing more.

"Excuse me."

Valentina shoved her sunglasses on top of her head, her eyes landing, not the waitress, but on the icy glass on the tray she held.

"I didn't order a drink," Valentina said.

"No, it's from your friend. She asked me to bring it over."

Valentina stared at the orange and red drink. "What is it?"

"It's a Sex on the Beach."

"Of course, it is," she murmured with a smile. She nodded her thanks, waiting until the waitress was gone before taking a sip. It was strong, delicious, and refreshing, and gave her a tingling feeling all the way to her toes. "Sex on the Beach, indeed," she said as she sucked on the straw again.


	6. Chapter 6

Juliana paced in her room, wondering if she dared go through with her somewhat crazy plan. On the one hand, it sounded fun. And kinda romantic. Not that Valentina had given any indication that she was looking for something romantic. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Which, in turn, fascinated her even more. Why was Valentina being so standoffish? She's single, she's staying at a lesbian resort, she's on vacation. Sure, Valentina said she hates all women at the moment, but that didn't mean her, did it?

The woman had somehow enthralled Juliana. It didn't hurt that Valentina had only been wearing a bikini in their two encounters. She closed her eyes, picturing those smooth, tanned legs, the curve of her hip, the swell of her breasts. Damn. She hadn't been this physically attracted to someone in quite a while. Well, the volleyball player aside.

Valentina was older, she was an accountant and seemed to be a bit uptight. Her usual tastes were obviously quite the opposite of Juliana. But then, so were Juliana's.

"Well, it’s not like I want to marry her," she murmured. She just wanted to get to know her, and her amazing body, a little better. She saw nothing wrong with a little vacation fling. It would be fun.

Of course, there was also Tess. Tess had finally given up Valentina's room number, despite it 'breaking every privacy policy in the book', she had made Juliana promise that she wasn't stalking her. And she wasn't. She would simply go to her room, suggest a walk on the beach and mind her manners. And if Valentina asked her to leave, she would. Yes, of course she would. It wasn't like she would resort to begging.

But damn, she was cute. And she had those killer blue eyes. And that body.

"Hmm... Maybe I would beg a little," she said to the empty room. And laughed. "But I'm not a stalker!"

She took the stairs up to the second floor, not trusting the rickety elevator, even though Tess had assured her it was perfectly safe. She walked quietly down the empty hallway, pausing at Room 122.

"God, I hope she isn't pissed."

* * * * *

Valentina opened her eyes, hearing a faint knocking. She rolled over, assuming it was another room. The knocking got louder. She opened her eyes again, fumbling for her phone.

"Eleven thirty?" She rolled over and pounded her pillow with a sigh, only to throw the covers off as the knocking got louder. She marched to the door and jerked it open. "What?"

"Good. You're still up." Juliana said with her signature smile.

Valentina stared in disbelief, then gave the brunette her best scowl. "You? Really? You?"

Juliana's smile didn't fade as she nodded. "Yeah. You remember me, right? Juliana. We chatted by the pool earlier." She grinned. "You had Sex on the Beach."

Valentina rolled her eyes at Juliana's reference to her drink. "There'd better be a fire. It's the middle of the night and you're knocking on my door. So there'd better be a fire!"

Juliana shook her head. "First, it's not the middle of the night. And second, if there was a fire, you would hear women screaming and running down the hallway. Maybe even hear sirens too." She stepped back and made a show of looking in both directions. "Nope, no fire."

Valentina sighed. "Then what could you possibly be doing here?"

An amused Juliana tapped an imaginary watch on her wrist. "Hurry up. Get dressed."

"What? It's the middle of the night. I'm not getting dressed."

"It's not the middle of the night. It's not even midnight."

"When you've been in bed since nine-thirty, it's the middle of the freakin' night," Valentina said in exasperation. The woman was annoying. Whatever in the world made her think she was cute? "I want to go back to sleep."

"Good God! You went to bed at nine thirty?" Juliana's eyes were nearly popping out of her head. "I thought you were on vacation. Valentina, really, you're acting like you're, you know, forty or something," she teased.

Valentina stared at her. "I'm not even going to reply to that. Good night," she said, intending to close the door. But she wasn't surprised to find a hand blocking her.

"Come on. Put some shorts on. You're wasting time," Juliana whined.

It was only then that Valentina realised her lack of clothing. She was horrified that she was standing at the door in nothing but her underwear and a sleep shirt. She immediately pulled the shirt down to cover her underwear, realising how ridiculous she was being. Juliana had already seen her in a bikini.

"What... are you doing here?"

"The moon. The midnight moon. The sun and the moon are aligned. The tide will be exceptional, but we have to hurry."

Valentina's patience was slipping. "What are you talking about?"

"We're going to the beach. Come on. It'll be fun."

"What? No!" Valentina was beginning to think this woman was crazy.

"Yes. It's a full moon tonight. At midnight, it'll be right over the beach, over the water. It'll be fantastic."

Valentina stared at her, slowly shaking her head. "Are you serious? You woke me up for that? Because I'm fairly certain I've seen a full moon before."

"But, Valentina, you have not seen one like this."

The words were spoken so quietly, so softly, that Valentina had no retort. Maybe it was the way Juliana said her name that left her speechless. So, deciding there was no point arguing, she simply walked back into her room, grabbed the shorts she had discarded earlier that evening, pulledthem over her long legs and slipped her feet into a pair of sandals. Apparently, she was going to the beach to look at a full moon.


	7. Chapter 7

Juliana brought a finger to her lips. "We have to be quiet," she whispered as they headed towards the stairs. "It's the middle of the night. People are trying to sleep." She grinned when she heard Valentina nearly giggle at her comment. Okay, so maybe she wasn't too pissed after all. "Oh, and I'm really not a stalker," she added.

"That's reassuring," Valentina scoffed as she followed the brunette down the stairs.

Juliana had stashed a couple of blankets, and a bottle of wine, out by the pool. She hadn't wanted to seem too presumptuous when she knocked on her door. She had even opened the bottle of wine, so she wouldn't have to carry a corkscrew, but she had forgotten about the glasses. It wasn't very romantic drinking straight from the bottle and it wasn't something she would do normally, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Valentina watched as Juliana crouched down to collect something. "A blanket?"

"Just to sit on," Juliana said. "No hanky-panky." She handed Valentina the wine. "Promise."

Valentina held the bottle up to the light. "Nice choice."

"Thank you. I stole it from the office. I'm not an expert on wine. So I'm glad you approve."

"It's a nice bottle. There'll still be no hanky-panky though!"

"Why would you even think that?" Juliana said innocently. "I enjoy your company. It's not like I want to ravish your body." She paused. "Much," she smirked.

Valentina threw her head back and laughed. "Are you always so forward?"

"I'm only here for four more days. I have to work fast."

"Wait a minute. Did you say you stole it?"

Juliana laughed. "Umm... I'll explain later."

They left the pool area and walked along the boardwalk across the dunes, Juliana casually took Valentina's hand. "I don't want you to trip," she said with a smile. She was pleasantly surprised when Valentina didn't pull her hand away.

As soon as they got to the beach, she knew her seduction attempt had gotten a little easier. The full moon was beautiful. The white orb engulfed the sky, its light dancing across the waves as they crashed on to the shore. The little scattering of clouds only enhanced the show. She turned, finding Valentina gazing out over the water, the breeze gently blowing her hair back from her face, the glow from the moon bright enough to make out every feature on Valentina's face. She was nearly hypnotised as Valentina turned, their eyes meeting in the glimmering moonlight. Valentina smiled slightly; her blue eyes still locked on brown.

"It's gorgeous."

Juliana nodded, feeling seduced herself. "Yeah, gorgeous." She felt her heart beat just a little too fast as their stare continued. Damn, but she wanted to kiss her. Before she could muster up the courage to do it, Valentina turned away, breaking the spell.

So, Juliana did the sensible thing. She walked a little farther down the beach, looking for a spot to sit. It was a very high tide with the moon overhead so she chose to sit closer to the sand dunes, away from the lapping water. The shook out the blanket, the breeze flipping the edges up, she smoothed them back down and sat, motioning for Valentina to do the same. She took the wine bottle from her, balancing it between her legs and leaned back on her elbows.

"I love this," she said. "The midnight moon. It looks so big, it's almost like you could reach out and touch it."

"Yeah." Valentina tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks for making me do this," she said. "I've never... well, I've seen the full moon, of course, but usually when I'm driving. I don't think I've ever intentionally gone outside to look at it."

"A lot of people don't. But I think we should celebrate the wonders of our world. People are always in such a hurry, rushing around from place to place. They don't take the time to really appreciate the things around them." She sat up and pulled the cork out of the wine bottle. "I get that from my dad. He's so laid-back, nothing stresses him out. He could sit and stare at the lake all day long. Well, as long as he could fish while he did it." She twirled the cork between her fingers. "I kinda forgot the glasses."

Valentina surprised her by taking the bottle from her and bringing it to her mouth for a drink. She handed it back to Juliana with a nod.

"Very nice." Valentina smiled. "And no, I've never had wine straight out of a bottle before."

"Well, you're living dangerously tonight." Juliana teased.

She took a sip of the wine, then another. There was no need for conversation, they sat quietly, watching the light change on the water as each wave rushed to shore. It was a pleasant night, the breeze wasn’t too strong, but she unfolded the other blanket and placed it across their legs. Valentina said nothing, just continued to stare out over the water.

The wine bottle was passed back and forth in silence a few times. Juliana finally corked it again when Valentina leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head, her gaze drifting up to the moon. Juliana lay back too, resting comfortably beside her. The sights and sounds were hypnotic as she watched the moon slowly crawl across the night sky. She quickly lost track of time. Without even realising it, the rhythmic sound of the tide was lulling her to sleep. She turned her head towards Valentina, about to suggest they head back in. But Valentina was fast asleep beside her, her face relaxed and peaceful.

"My God, she's beautiful," Juliana whispered, her words carried away in the breeze.

Instead of waking her, she pulled the blanket a little higher, covering them both, thinking they would stay out for just a little longer. Unfortunately, the peacefulness that surrounded her, and the presence of a very warm body next to her, calmed all the brunette’s senses and her eyes slipped closed too. She gave in to the relaxed state of her body and mind and drifted off to sleep, still clinging to the notion that she would only rest for a few minutes.

The hoarse squawk of a heron roused her, and she was shocked to find the soft white glow of the moon had been replaced with the subtle pink and red of a rapidly rising sun. She rolled to her side, intending to wake Valentina, but the heron was only fifteen feet away, slowly walking along the beach. His silhouette was a perfect backdrop to the lightening sky. Juliana wished she had a camera.

Valentina must have sensed her movement. Her eyes fluttered open, confusion shadowing them.

"Don't move," Juliana whispered. "You'll scare him."

"Him who?" Asked Valentina a little startled.

"The heron."

Valentina rolled her head to the side. "It's dawn?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah. So now we get to watch the sunrise. How cool is that?"

Valentina rolled her head back toward Juliana. "We slept out here? We could have been mugged or something."

"Mugged? Out here? What are they going to take? The wine?" She laughed.

Valentina rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

The heron took flight, his long legs pushing off the sand, they watched as he landed a little further away from them.

"Actually, I stayed awake the whole night, making sure you were safe," Juliana said. "I'm gallant that way."

Valentina stretched. "Really? Then why are your eyes so sleepy looking?"

"I may have napped a little." Juliana sat up and reached for Valentina, pulling her into a sitting position as well. "But look at it this way, you get to see a beautiful sunrise and I didn’t even have to beat on your door to wake you up."

"I have to pee."

Juliana nodded. "Yeah, so do I."

Valentina turned to look at her, biting the inside of her lip as she slowly shook her head. "I don't even know you, and we spent the night sharing a blanket on the beach."

"I told you it'd be fun."

"You're missing the point," Valentina said.

Juliana shook her head. "No Valentina. The point is, we saw a beautiful moon, a beautiful sky over a beautiful sea. It was a perfect night. And now, because one of us fell asleep, we get to see a beautiful sunrise. In fact, you may even enjoy it so much, you will want to come out here every morning." Juliana smile became more of a smirk as she continued. "Of course, this is normally when I get my skinny-dipping in."

The blonde arched an eyebrow, "Well, don't let me stop you."

"Oh? Are you ready to join me?" The mischievous grin was back.

"I'm ready for a bathroom, a shower and a cup of coffee," she said as her gaze drifted back over the water. "Look how far out the tide is compared to last night."

Juliana nodded. "When I was five, my mother remarried and we moved to Corpus. We used to go to the beach all the time when I was growing up. We had this chart at the house where we tracked the tides. The tide is always very high when there's a full moon, like last night," she said. "I don't remember all the facts, but I think it takes six hours or so to go from high tide to low tide."

"So you grew up down here?"

"Well, Corpus. But we came to the island all the time." She pointed towards the horizon. "Here comes the sun."

"Wow. The clouds somehow make it even prettier."

"Yeah. I always wished I'd gotten into photography," she said. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "This is about the extent of it." She held up the phone, snapping a couple of pictures as the sun rose out of the water.

"Okay, I confess. I've never actually watched a real live sunrise before," Valentina said. "It's actually refreshing to be out here at this hour. It's so quiet."

Juliana didn't say anything as her eyes followed the progress of the reddish orange ball that shimmered across the surface, reflecting its colours on the clouds above. Then, as if a breakfast bell had sounded, gulls and terns flew over the surf with their familiar calls and the pelicans circled and dove into the water. A new day had begun.

"Thank you."

Juliana turned, finding Valentina's blue eyes on her. She simply nodded and stood up, stretching her back by holding her arms overhead. She held out a hand to Valentina, who let herself be pulled up. Silently, they each took a blanket and headed back. Juliana's gaze went to the smooth sand where the tide had ironed it flat. She spotted a sand dollar and went to pick it up.

"You don't usually find them intact," she said, holding it out to Valentina.

Valentina took it, turning it over gently in her hands.

"You keep it," said Juliana. "A memento of your first midnight moon."

Valentina rolled her eyes slightly but folded her hand around the sand dollar as they headed over the dunes and back to the boardwalk.

"I'll walk you to your room," Juliana offered as they got to the hotel.

"That's not necessary."

"I insist," she said. "We'll even take the elevator. It's old. Very old." She grinned as the doors slid closed. "Maybe we'll get stuck!"

But the old hulk of a lift made it to the second floor without incident. Juliana held the door as she motioned for Valentina to exit. She was about to follow her out when Valentina spun around.

"Wait a minute," Valentina said. "How did you know which room was mine?"

Juliana bit her lower lip. Damn. "Lucky guess?" she said weakly.

Valentina tilted her head with a raised eyebrow. "Try again."

The elevator doors tried to push closed and Juliana stepped back inside. "Okay, so maybe I am stalking you. Maybe I've been following you. You really should be more careful of strangers!" She grinned and gave an exaggerated wink as the doors closed.

Her smile vanished as the elevator lurched. Tess was going to kill her.


	8. Chapter 8

"You did WHAT?"

"Calm down sis. She's not going to file a complaint," Juliana insisted. "At least I don't think so." She stole a french fry from Tess's plate. "And it's not like I planned to stay out there all night."

"Please don't get me fired!" She sighed.

"She's really cute."

"Sure. But she's not your type," Tess reminded her.

"Oh, I know. But did you get a good look at her body?"

"I did. And that is the only thing about her that is your type!" She said with a laugh.

"Yeah. She doesn't seem the type to go for a holiday romance. But I like a challenge. And at least it gives me something to do." She shrugged, putting the last bite of burger into her mouth and wadding up the wrapper. "So, are you and Natalie going to the shindig down the beach tonight?"

"Over at the Conch Hotel? Yeah, Matt invited us. When did you speak to him?"

"I called in to see him yesterday before meeting you guys for dinner." She raised her eyebrows. "So, are you going?"

"Are you?"

Juliana shrugged. "Well, It is my birthday. And at least Matt remembered, so I suppose I should show up. He's got a 'fabulous new gumbo dish that's to die for,’" she mimicked.

Tess laughed. "He's such a queen. Like literally. He's doing drag shows now, did he tell you?"

Juliana nodded. Matt Canton was Tess's age and they had all gone to high school together. He was always flamboyant and never apologised for it. He got picked on in school, of course, but that had never deterred him. Matt was one of the smartest people she knew and could have done anything he wanted, but he was too entrenched in the beach scene to leave the area. He had been working at hotels on the island since he turned eighteen. This was his third year as manager of the Conch. In fact, he was the one who had introduced Tess to the hotel business.

"So, what are your plans for the afternoon?" Tess asked. "And please don't say more stalking!"

"I'll probably hang out by the pool," she said as she glanced out the window of Tess's office. Valentina had not made an appearance yet. "Maybe I’ll walk down to the beach and splash around for a while."

"Please behave yourself," Tess warned.

"I'm attracted to her. What can I say?" Juliana stood, returning her chair to its place, in front of Tess's desk.

"You can say that you won't do anything stupid!" Tess tossed the remnants of her burger into the trash. "And thanks for lunch. Maybe we'll see you tonight over at the Conch?"

"Yep. Later, sis."

When she left Valentina earlier that morning, Juliana was still feeling drained and had gone back to her room, intending to take a quick nap on a real bed. Which had lasted until ten thirty. After a shower and a late cup of coffee, she was ready to enjoy another day at the beach. But when Valentina was a no-show at the pool, she offered to go get lunch for Tess. Now, with the afternoon ahead of her, she peeked around the corner towards the pool, looking for Valentina in her normal spot. But nothing, the blonde still hadn’t arrived.

Well, she couldn't go up to Valentina's room. She would just have to wait her out. _God, I am a stalker!_ That thought amused her as she headed in the opposite direction towards her own room, a smile on her face. She stripped out of her shorts and found her bikini, a sleek black one that the volleyball player had given her. Her breasts were small, but Britney had said this bikini made them look perky.

"Perky," she muttered with a shake of her head. But then, Britney had been twenty-one. Talk about nothing in common, that was them. But damn, the sex had been good.

Juliana stood by the mirror, looking at herself. With her fondness for skinny-dipping, it was a plus to live only a few miles from Camilla and Fernanda and their spring-fed pool. Juliana used it nearly every day. She patted her stomach, noting she wasn't as thin as she used to be. She turned sideways, sighing with relief.

"You're not fat."

No, the bikini fit her nicely. She silently thanked Britney for the gift, not sure whether the volleyball player would mind that she was using it to seduce another woman. Well, attempting to seduce, she corrected. And she was wasting time.

She grabbed a towel and one of the complimentary bottles of lotion. On the way to the pool, she stopped by Tess's office to steal a bottle of cold water from her fridge. Tess was on the phone and waved at her to take whatever she needed.


	9. Chapter 9

Valentina was actually a little disappointed that Juliana wasn't around as she settled into her lounge chair. For a Wednesday, the pool was crowded and noisy, and she wished she had brought her iPod. Instead, she turned on her Kindle and brought up the latest book in the series she had been hooked on for years. Trying to lose herself in the story, she ignored the laughter and chatter from the women around her, but she couldn't help glancing up from time to time, hoping the dark-haired beauty would make an appearance.

 _Be thankful she's leaving you in peace_. I don't really even like her, she thought. Juliana was a bit too... too spontaneous for her. Valentina liked her life organised. She liked having plans and agendas. Like this vacation. Renata had wanted her to dash off the very week she had told her about the Rainbow Island Resort. It had taken nearly a month of planning and shuffling her schedule around before she felt comfortable enough to make the reservations. Of course, she was glad she finally had. She was relaxing. She was recharging. She was even having fun.

Well, she'd had fun last night. After she got over the initial shock of someone pounding on her door in the middle of the night, that is.

She looked up, just in time to see a familiar face heading her way. She tried not to stare but Jesus, Juliana looked good in a bikini. Thankful that her eyes were shaded by her sunglasses, she made a point of staring at her kindle.

"Like I didn't see you staring," Juliana said with an easy smile. She pulled a lounge chair closer and plopped herself down.

"Huh? Staring at what?"

"Oh, please." Juliana leaned closer. "What are you reading? One of those lesbian romance books with lots of hot sex?"

Valentina shook her head. "No, it's the latest Kay Scarpetta."

"I've read a few of those," Juliana said. "But... the day's a-wasting." She swung her long legs off the lounger and got up as quickly as she had sat down. "Let's go to the beach."

"I don't think so," Valentina said, holding up her Kindle.

"Come on, it'll be fun." From under her towel Juliana produced a Frisbee. "Let's go play on the beach."

"Frisbee?" Valentina shook her head. "I don't remember the last time I threw one. I'm not sure I even remember how."

"That's okay, I'll teach you. C'mon, let's go play."

Valentina hesitated. It would be fun to play on the beach. But she wasn't a beach person, she reminded herself. But seeing Juliana standing there in next to nothing, her body lean and tanned, made her want to become a beach person. _God, what the hell is wrong with me?_

"Come on. It's my birthday. Spend it with me."

How could she say no to that? God, what was it about this woman that pulled her out of her element so easily? She turned off her Kindle and slipped it into her bag, aware of the triumphant smile on Juliana's face as she nodded.

"Great. Grab a couple of towels."

Valentina did as she was told and followed Juliana away from the pool and on to the boardwalk, exactly as they had done the night before. The beach wasn't crowded, but there were a few people about. Juliana led them further down the beach, finding a spot all to themselves.

"Once the schools let out for summer, the beaches are crazy," Juliana said. "I try to stay away then."

"Is this where you used to come when you were young?"

"Sometimes. But Padre Island National Seashore is closer to Corpus, so we would mostly go there. Or to the state park, Mustang Island."

Juliana lay her towel on the sand, and Valentina did the same, leaving some space between them. Juliana had only brought the Frisbee and a bottle of water and, of course, lotion. Juliana saw the blonde glance at it, she held it up with a cheeky smile.

"Do you need me to put some on your back? I wouldn't want you to burn, you know."

"Do you have a lotion fetish?"

Juliana gave her a flirty grin. "No. I have an 'I'm dying to touch your soft skin' fetish."

Valentina laughed but shook her head at the lotion. "I'm good for now, thanks."

"Well, come on then. Let's get wet."

Juliana took off in a slow jog toward the water, Frisbee in hand. Valentina hesitated. There were probably all sorts of... things in the water. Jellyfish, for one.

"Come on, Val," Juliana called, she was already in the water. "It'll be fun."

It's the bikini, she told herself. That was the only reason she was doing this. She headed in Juliana's direction, pausing when her bare feet touched the water. It was cooler than she imagined, but she continued until the water was up to her knees, she could feel the push and pull of the waves. She laughed as one caught her waist-high, nearly knocking her over. Juliana backed away from her, holding the Frisbee up. Valentina nodded, wondering if she even remembered how to catch the damn thing. But Juliana tossed it softly, and Valentina snatched it out of the air. The brunette cheered like she had just made a touchdown.

"I'm not sure if I can throw it," she warned.

"Just give it a go," she encouraged.

And she did, but it sailed high and to the right, landing on the beach. Juliana jogged after it, and Valentina was left gaping at her as she ran.

"Here you go," Juliana called, tossing it again.

This one was a little harder but right to her. Valentina used both hands to secure it. She bent down just a bit to throw, trying to get some spin on the disc. This one was much better and Juliana ran into the surf to catch it. Again, Valentina stared, her eyes glued to what little the bikini covered.

They tossed it back and forth, both soaked as they ran in the water. Valentina couldn't remember the last time she had played like that. She was having more fun than she'd had in years.

Juliana finally called an end to their game, tossing the Frisbee up near their towels before diving into the surf. Valentina watched her as she swam further out from shore, letting the waves carry her back in, then swam out again. It looked like fun and Valentina was feeling adventurous. So off she went, hopping over the first two waves until she was waist deep, then diving under water just as Juliana had done. She was a strong swimmer, she swam almost daily in her own pool, when the weather allowed, but the Gulf was entirely different. She almost panicked when she realised she couldn't touch the bottom. But Juliana swam closer, her smile reassuring.

"It's okay, Val. Let's ride it in."

She relaxed, taking her offered hand, and they paddled back towards the shore. She felt relieved when her feet touched the bottom again. She walked out of the water, slicking her hair back from her face and smiling into the sun.

"God, that was so much fun," she said.

"Sure was," Juliana agreed as she plopped down on her towel, arms stretched out to her sides.

Valentina tried not to stare as she dropped onto her own towel. She didn't know what was wrong with her. It's not like she hadn't seen a woman in a bikini before. In fact, several women at the pool were wearing bikinis. Although, she had to admit, not one of them looked anywhere near as good as Juliana.

"So, an accountant, huh?"

Valentina rolled her head to the side, eyeing the brunette. "Yes."

"So where are you from?"

Valentina smiled. "You may possibly be a stalker. Do you actually think I'm going to tell you where I live?"

Juliana smiled too. "Fair enough."

Valentina intended to just lie still and enjoy the sun, but her curiosity got the better of her. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What do you do? When you're not stalking women," she added and Juliana laughed.

"I'm a painter."

"A painter? Like an artist?"

"No, no. A painter. You know, bucket of paint, paintbrush, houses, walls and stuff."

"Oh." Valentina wasn't sure what she expected but... a painter wasn't it. She could honestly say that she had never been out with a painter before. Of course, it wasn't like this was a date or anything. But still. A painter. Okay, so she was being judgemental. She admitted it. She was used to professional women. Not... labourers. She turned her head away, embarrassed by her thoughts.

 _I did not just think that did I?_ Yes, she did and she felt terrible about it. There was nothing wrong with being a painter. She was about to apologise to Juliana for her thoughts when the brunette sat up.

"Okay, look, there's nothing sexual about this at all," she said, holding up the sunscreen. "But you're starting to burn. Let me just slap some on your back. You won't even have time to get aroused."

Valentina arched an eyebrow at her. "Aroused? As if you could arouse me just by rubbing lotion on my skin."

Juliana gave her what could only be described as a sexy smile. "Don't tempt me to prove otherwise."

Their stare was intense, and Valentina finally accepted the challenge. Her skin did feel hot, but she wasn't sure if it was from the sun or Juliana's dare.

"I suppose I am a little... warm."

Again, that sexy smile. "You're way past warm, Val. You're hot. Very hot."

Valentina laughed. "God Juls, where do you come up with these lines?"

Juliana grinned. "What? Too much?"

"Yes!"

Juliana motioned with her finger. "Turn around."

Valentina did as she was told, waiting while Juliana squirted the lotion into her palm. She closed her eyes when Juliana touched her, her hand sliding smoothly across her shoulders and upper back. She could feel the heat of her skin and the lotion did feel good, she admitted. Of course, she wasn't sure if it was the lotion that felt good or simply Juliana's soft hands touching her.

"Now turn this way."

Valentina again did as she was told, watching as Juliana's lotion-coated fingers rubbed her upper arms.

"See, nothing sensual about this," Juliana said. "But you could have reached this part yourself, I guess."

Valentina was about to reply when Juliana's fingers lightly brushed the side of her breast. She stopped instantly and their eyes met.

"I swear, that was an accident," Juliana said.

"Sure it was."

"Honestly. If it had been intentional, I would have done a much better job."

Valentina laughed. "It's okay."

Juliana reached out and rubbed her nose with the remaining lotion on her fingers. "Don't want it to burn," she winked.

With their eyes still locked together, the words that left Valentina's mouth were spoken well before she'd had time to consider them.

"Would you like me to do your back?"

"Honey, I'd like you to do a lot more than my back," Juliana said with a saucy grin. "Oh, you mean the lotion? Oh yeah, that would be great too."

Valentina told herself they were just playing, just teasing. Nothing more. So she scooted closer, putting a generous amount of the sunscreen in her palm. She waited until Juliana turned her back to her, then reached out, lightly touching her shoulders, rubbing her hands in gentle circles as she smoothed the lotion on her skin. It shouldn't have felt so good, so sensual, but it did. As her fingers brushed across Juliana's smooth skin, it occurred to her that it had been well over a year since she had touched another woman. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed the intimacy of touching someone.

Of course, there was nothing intimate about this, she reminded herself. She hardly even knew this woman, and they were simply putting lotion where the other couldn't reach. It wasn't like this was foreplay or anything. Yet her hands continued to massage across Juliana's back to her shoulders and upper arms. She was almost mesmerised by it, and she admitted that, yes, she was a little turned on. That thought made her stop her movements, immediately removing her hands from Juliana's shoulders.

"God, that felt good," Juliana murmured. "I bet you give great back rubs."

Valentina wiped the remaining lotion on her own legs. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever given a back rub before," she said.

Juliana lay on her side, facing Valentina, a smile still on her face. "We could remedy that, you know."

Valentina lay down too but rolled onto her back. "Seeing as there's no one in my life to give back rubs to, I don't see the point in practicing," she said lightly.

"Why didn't you ever give... what was her name again?"

"Claudia."

"Yeah, Claudia. Did she not like them?"

"I don't know, it ever came up," she said. She chewed on her lower lip as she thought back to their sex life. It had been good. Satisfying. Yet, toward the end, not so much. She couldn't really pinpoint when it had changed. The last year of their relationship had been... well, rather dry. She blamed it on their work schedules. She blamed it on a lot of things. But she had never blamed it on them simply growing apart. That hadn't even occurred to her. To this day, she wondered if they would still be together if she hadn't caught Claudia in bed with Mayela.

"Do you still miss her?" Juliana asked, her words sincere.

Valentina rolled her head to the side and looked at her. "No, not really. At first, I missed having a partner, you know. And I told you she was a chef, so I missed her cooking," she said with a smile. "But after it was over, I learned some things about her that I hadn't been able to see when we were together."

"Like what?"

"Like she uses women for a nice place to live and pretends to be in love with them." The words sounded bitter, which she supposed, they should. "Sorry."

"You were together how long? Five years? That's a long time to pretend," Juliana said. "On her part, I mean."

"Yes, it is. I guess that's why she was cheating on me. Mayela wasn't the first. And if I hadn't caught them in bed, I doubt she would have been the last either."

"So you kicked her out. Then what?"

"She started dating an attorney, someone I had actually dated in my twenties. She even moved in with her shortly after."

Juliana laughed quietly. "Actually, the 'then what' was meant for you."

"Oh. Well, then nothing. I hate women, remember."

"So, you haven't dated since?" The brunette was amazed.

"No. And I don't plan to."

"You're only thirty-five. That's way too early to give up on dating," Juliana said.

"Thirty-four, thank you," Valentina corrected. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you single?"

Juliana laughed again. "I must be doing a horrible job at flirting if you think I'm involved with someone."

"Well, as my recent experience shows, being involved with someone doesn't seem to matter to some people," she said dismissively.

"Yeah, well, I'm not guilty of that," Juliana said. "I've never been in a real relationship. I dated in college. And it appears that I am still dating college students. They tend to graduate and move on, though. No time for a real relationship."

"So you went to college?"

"Yeah."

"Is that where you learned how to paint?" She said with a flirty smile.

Juliana laughed yet again, and Valentina loved the sound of it. "No," was all she said as she rolled onto her back too.

They were quiet, and Valentina listened to the sound of the surf, the gulls, the faraway sounds of laughter coming from others on the beach. She had no idea how long they'd been out, but it was one of the most enjoyable afternoons she'd spent in a long, long time.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"I had fun today."

Juliana nodded. "Yeah, it's fun playing on the beach."

"I can't even remember the last time I played Frisbee," she admitted.

"Well, you were pretty good. When you said you were an accountant, I was afraid you wouldn't even know what a Frisbee was," Juliana teased.

Valentina smiled, not taking offense. "Well, you were clearly a lot better than me. I can see you are athletic."

Juliana rolled to her side and leaned on her elbow, her eyes dancing with amusement. "As you know, I'm a painter. I'm outside, up and down ladders. And I swim a lot." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Skinny-dipping. I'm very limber and flexible," she continued. "I also play on a softball team." She smiled broadly. "Did I mention I'm flexible?"

Valentina laughed out loud but didn't dare reply. Juliana sat up, still smiling. "I guess on that note, we should wrap it up," she said. "I think I've had enough sun for the day."

Valentina sat up too. "A cold shower sounds nice."

"A cold beer sounds nice," Juliana countered.

They shook out their towels, then trudged through the sand back to the boardwalk, making their way to the pool area. Valentina dared to have a quick peek into the semi-private clothing optional pool. Four women were there, two in the pool and two lounging on chairs. The two lounging were topless. She turned away quickly, blushing as Juliana gave a light chuckle.

"Do you want to join them?"

"I do not," Valentina said quickly. She was about to suggest they part company when Juliana suggested something else entirely.

"Come out with me this evening."

Valentina raised her eyebrows. "Out?"

"Early dinner. At dusk."

Valentina hesitated. Yes, she'd had a wonderful day and had enjoyed Juliana's company immensely. But dinner at dusk sounded like... well, it wouldn't be a normal dress-up dinner at a restaurant. As she got to know Juliana a little better, she learnt that 'normal' was not a word that described her. At least, not what Valentina perceived as normal.

"We've already spent most of the day together," she said.

Juliana nodded. "Yeah. Wasn't it great?"

Valentina still hesitated. "It's your birthday," she said. "Isn't there someone you'd rather spend it with?"

Juliana's smile was slow and sexy. "At this very moment, I can't think of another soul I would rather spend it with." Then the sexy smile was replaced with a genuine one. "Besides, I hear you have a birthday coming up soon. We should celebrate both."

Valentina arched her eyebrow. "We should huh?"

Juliana nodded. "So what do you say? A hotel a little further down the beach," she pointed, "is having their weekly seafood extravaganza for their guests."

Valentina stared blankly at her. "But we're not their guests."

"Oh, I know. We're going to crash it. It'll be fun!"

"Umm... no," Valentina said with a quick shake of her head. "I'm not crashing another hotel's party. We could get into trouble."

Juliana laughed. "We're not going to get into trouble."

"No. I'm not doing it!"

Juliana stepped closer to her. So close, that if she not been holding her towel in front of her, their thighs would have been brushing. It was an intimate gesture, and she tried not to let the brunette see how affected she was by her closeness.

"Don't be afraid to take a chance," Juliana said. "You might be surprised at the outcome."

Valentina wasn't sure if they were still talking about dinner or not, but she fell into her eyes, eyes that were neither brown nor hazel but somewhere in between. She fell in and couldn't drag herself back out.

"Come on, Valentina. It'll be fun."

The softly spoken words, not much more than a whisper, reverberated in her mind. Take a chance. It'll be fun. Valentina. Maybe it was the way her name sounded when Juliana said it, but she seemed powerless to resist her offer. So, against her better judgment, she nodded.

"Okay. I'll go with you."

Juliana's grin was infectious and Valentina returned it.

"Great! I'll meet you back down here about six thirty," Juliana said. She turned to go, then stopped. "It's on the beach. So dress casual."

Valentina nodded and watched as she walked away. Yes. Casual. Not a normal dinner date with one of the professional, conservative, reserved, friends she normally went out with. She had a contented smile on her face as she made her way to the elevator that would take her up to her room. Juliana was so different from anyone she had ever spent time with, it was refreshing. She was a little out of her element, crashing parties was not something she had ever done before. But after a fun day on the beach, she wasn't really ready for their time together to end. That surprised her. Because as she had told herself many times, Juliana wasn't her type. At all.

As the old elevator jerked upward, a slow smile spread across her face. No, she wasn't her type, but she sure looked good in a bikini. She convinced herself that it was the only reason she was going out with her.


	10. Chapter 10

Juliana didn't intend to take a nap. No, she was just going to lay down for a bit and rest. She stripped off the bikini and was heading to the shower when she glanced at the bed. The sheets were cool. The AC was turned down low. She didn't stand a chance. She jumped into the shower long enough to rinse the sand off, then fell into bed. But after what seemed like hours later, she sat up with a start, blinking several times to clear her head.

_Dinner with Valentina._

She jumped up, grabbing her phone. She let out a sigh of relief. It was only five forty-five.

Never being one to nap, she blamed it on the beach and the sun... and the fun. The last few years, she'd been so busy with the business, she hadn't really taken the time for play. Trips to the lake with her father and hanging out with Camz and Fer at their spring-fed pool were the few highlights she enjoyed lately. Well, not including playing with the volleyball player. But that was an entirely different kind of fun, she noted.

 _And I'm getting too old to keep that pace,_ she thought.

"Yeah, turning over a new leaf at thirty," she said with a grin, knowing it was a lie. What was she trying to do with Valentina anyway?

She hurried through her shower, although she did take the time to shave her legs. Not that she was being presumptuous, she told herself.

She only ever brought shorts and jeans to wear on her trips to the coast and this trip was no different. But it was too warm for jeans, so she selected her nicest pair of khaki shorts and a dark red shirt. She contemplated switching out her favourite flip-flops for sandals but quickly dismissed the idea as she slipped her feet into them. With two minutes to spare, she pocketed her phone and grabbed her room key, then hurried out the door.

She swung by the office, but Tess had already left for the day. Rounding the corner by the pool, she stopped in her tracks. Valentina, dressed in white shorts and a blue blouse, stood waiting, an inviting smile on her face. Even though Juliana had been exposed to Valentina in nothing but a bikini, and a sleep shirt when they watched the moon, she looked absolutely striking in her summer clothes. Juliana blinked several times, noting how the colour of Valentina's blouse brought out the blue of her eyes. She spoke the words that were tumbling around in her mind.

"Wow. You're beautiful."

Valentina's smile never faltered. "Thank you. I hoped this wasn't too casual."

"No, no. You're perfect."

Juliana led them back to the boardwalk and on to the beach. The Conch was only a few hundred yards down the beach, an easy walk. She took her flip-flops off as soon as they reached the sand, and Valentina followed suit, removing her sandals.

"I had fun playing today," Valentina said. "Thank you."

"Me too. In fact, you wore me out. I had to take a nap this afternoon."

Valentina laughed quietly. "Yeah, so did I."

Juliana grinned mischievously. "Good. Then we should both be well rested. We might have to make it a long night."

"Oh?"

"You know. The view of the one day past the full midnight moon."

Valentina laughed again. "Do you plan on banging on my door in the middle of the night again?"

"Well, I may not have to." Juliana smiled at her. "This is a date, you know."

"A date?" Valentina shook her head. "Um... no. I don't recall agreeing to a date."

"Sure you did. I said, 'How about an early dinner?' and you said, 'I'd love to.' Then I said, 'Great, it's a date.' Or something like that," she added quickly.

"I'm fairly certain that's not how it went," Valentina said amused.

"No? Well, that's how I remember it," she said. She bumped her shoulder lightly as they walked on. "Too late now anyway. It's already a date."

Valentina said nothing, but Juliana noted a smile was still on her face. So okay, it could be a date. The conversation ceased as they walked on, with only an occasional comment about a diving tern and a small flock of white pelicans as they circled overhead, their huge wings spread out to catch the waning sunlight. There would be no view of the sunset from here, though. The back of the island prevented any views of the bay and the reflection of the sun.

"Here we go," Juliana said when the Conch came into view. "Now remember, we're sneaking in," she said with a teasing hint of conspiracy in her voice.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," said Valentina. "Are you sure we won't get in trouble?"

"Only if we get caught," she said with a quick laugh.

She linked fingers with Valentina and casually led her beyond the dunes as if they had every right to be there. Tables had been set up on the sand and strings of colourful lights hung from the palm trees. Jimmy Buffett was singing about a blonde stranger and a margarita machine was spinning its frozen goodness.

"Oh, yeah," Juliana murmured. "My kind of party."

The buffet table was just being set up as waiters brought out various dishes of seafood. Juliana spied the shrimp and her mouth watered.

"Did you see that huge platter of fried shrimp?" Juliana rubbed her hands together in anticipation, causing Valentina to laugh at her.

"That's your weakness?"

"That... and, well, you in a bikini, obviously," she said with a wink. She was pleased by the slight blush that lit Valentina's face. "I'm going to see if I can steal a margarita. You want one?"

"Sure."

Before she could turn, she saw her friend Matt heading their way. She leaned closer to Valentina. "Shit, looks like we're busted already," she whispered.

Matt walked purposefully toward them, and Valentina stepped a little closer to Juliana as if seeking protection. He was tall and lanky, dressed in baggy white slacks and a turquoise shirt. He had an suitable scowl on his face as he approached the brunette.

"Crashing the party again?"

Juliana shrugged. "I smelled the shrimp a mile away."

"I thought it was the slush of the margarita machine that drew you."

"Well... That too!" A cheeky grin spreading across her face.

Matt finally grinned and pulled her into a quick hug. "I'm glad you came."

She laughed. "Thank you."

Valentina eyed her suspiciously. "So, crashing a party, huh?"

Juliana grinned. "Well, I kinda had an invitation." She pointed at Matt. "This is Matthew Canton, an old friend. Matt, meet my new friend, Valentina... something."

Matt didn't bother with a handshake. He hugged her as if they were old friends as well. "Nice to meet you, Valentina... something." He glanced at Juliana with a raised eyebrow.

"We haven't actually exchanged last names," Juliana explained.

"Oh. An anonymous holiday romance?" He smiled. "I like it."

Valentina shook her head. "No, no. Not a romance."

"Not yet," Juliana countered. She looked at Matt. "She thinks I'm a stalker."

"Aren't you?" Valentina asked, her mouth hinting at a smile.

"I just liked your bikini."

Matt laughed and shook his finger at her. "Valentina is very pretty. I imagine you have been fawning over her." He stood between them and linked arms with them both. "Now, let's find you a drink. And you must try the gumbo. I've outdone myself tonight," he said.

"Are you a chef?" Valentina asked.

"He thinks he's a chef," Juliana said.

"Careful, my friend, or I will ban you from the shrimp table!" Matt warned. He turned to Valentina. "No, I'm not a chef. I manage the hotel, but I make an excellent gumbo," he said. "But since I'm the boss, they can't throw me out of the kitchen!" He smiled.

"Valentina's ex is a chef," supplied Juliana.

"Really? You know that, but you don't know her last name?" He took two plastic glasses and filled each from the margarita machine before handing them over. "Perhaps you need to work on your bedside manner," he said.

Juliana grinned at Valentina. "Yeah, I'm hoping she gets a chance to see my bedside manner later," she teased, while trying to maintain the eye contact.

Valentina rolled her eyes at the brunette's flirtatious comment and accepted the drink from Matt, "Thank you." She said as she took a sip of the cool drink, "It's very good."

"My pleasure. Now, you two enjoy the seafood," he said. "I must mingle. I'll find you at your table later." He turned to go, then stopped. "Oh! What about Tess? I met the new woman in her life recently. She seems very nice. They said they would try to come by later."

"Yes, she said they would," Juliana said.

"Great. Then we'll all celebrate your birthday together," he said, then disappeared into a throng of guests.

Juliana led them away from the margarita machine after topping up both of their glasses. She had one eye on the shrimp platter across the room as she found them an empty table.

"Who's Tess?" Valentina asked.

"My sister. Well, stepsister, really," she clarified. She pulled out a chair for Valentina before sitting down herself. "I was five when my mother remarried. Tess is a year older than me. She and Matt were in the same class in school."

Valentina nodded. "And is it a coincidence that the manager of Rainbow Island Resort is also named Tess?"

Juliana stopped mid-drink, her mind scrambling for an explanation. None came. But the look in Valentina's eyes was more amusement, than annoyance. She put her drink down, a sheepish smile on her face.

"Well, they might be the same person," she said carefully. "In fact, they kinda are."

"Which is how you found out my room number?"

"I had to beat it out of her!" Juliana said quickly. "I mean, there are privacy rules, you know."

Valentina laughed. "And do you do that often? Get her to give you room numbers?"

"No. Honestly. This was the very first time!" Juliana leaned closer. "I'm telling you, it was the bikini! And the fact that I have been dying to take it off you," she said, her voice low, hoping she hadn't overstepped her boundary.

With elbows on the table, Valentina rested her chin on her hands, her gaze traveling across Juliana's face. Juliana met her stare, the blue of her eyes dimmed somewhat by the muted light. But there wasn't even a hint of anger in those eyes. There was something else entirely.

"You're not my type at all, you know," Valentina said quietly.

"So you said." She smiled slightly. "But you find me charming and irresistible anyway, right?"

Valentina smiled too, her nose wrinkling as she pouted. "Something like that, yes."

"Great. So if I left and brought back a massive plate of shrimp, would that help my case or not?"

"I'm going to say that will definitely help your case," Valentina said. "I love shrimp too."

"My kinda gal," Juliana said as she stood. "They've got all kinds of stuff, not just shrimp. Clams, crab, fried fish. And of course, gumbo."

"I'm not crazy about clams, but I do like fish," Valentina said. "I can help," she offered.

"No, that's okay. You save the table. I'll be right back." Juliana hurried off, a satisfied smile on her face. So, Valentina thought she was charming and irresistible. Yes, the night was definitely looking up.


	11. Chapter 11

Valentina sipped from her drink, her eyes following Juliana as she headed to the buffet table. This was completely out of character for her, but she did find Juliana quite charming. And perhaps a little irresistible as well. To say she was captivated by her would not be an understatement.

_What am I doing?_

She was living dangerously, that’s what. At least it was for her. The look in Juliana’s eyes told her exactly how she wanted the night to end. Valentina wasn’t that out of touch that she couldn’t recognise it. A holiday romance? Should she risk it? It had been a fun couple of days. Juliana had made it fun. She was carefree and easy going, a smile always on her face. She was entertaining. She was spontaneous. And she was incredibly attractive and sexy, Juliana flirted with a confident ease that left Valentina incapable of resisting.

It had simply been too long. Too long without another person’s touch. Too long without intimacy. Juliana was offering to put an end to all that, and Valentina decided she was willing to let her. The fact that she barely knew the woman was a little disturbing. But only a little.

She watched as an agile Juliana dodged a man carrying three margaritas, she returned to the table with two plates loaded with an assortment of seafood, most of it fried. Juliana sat them down but motioned back to the buffet.

“Gotta get some of Matt’s gumbo too, or I’ll never hear then end of it,” she rolled her eyes. “Do you want a bowl too?”

“Yes, please.”

Juliana grabbed a shrimp and popped it in her mouth. “Go ahead and start,” she mumbled around the shrimp as she headed off again.

Valentina shook her head but smiled. No, Juliana was certainly not like any of the other women she had dated. Juliana didn’t put on airs; she didn’t pretend to be something she wasn’t. It was refreshing. So with that, she grabbed her own shrimp, forgoing the plastic forks Juliana had tossed on the table, using her fingers instead. And it was every bit as good as it looked.

Juliana returned, this time with two steaming bowls of rice smothered in thick gumbo.

“I just saw my sister walk in,” Juliana said. “I hope you don’t mind company.”

“No. That’s fine.”

Juliana leaned closer, her tone conspiratorial. “Listen, don’t bring up the room number thing. Tess thinks I’m a stalker too.”

If not for the smile playing around her mouth, Valentina would have thought Juliana was being serious.

“I’ll have to try and get you back in her good books then,” she said as she sampled the gumbo. “Oh my God, this is good.”

“Nice and spicy,” Juliana said around a mouthful, then smiled as two women approached.

Valentina recognised Tess from the hotel and smiled up at her. “Please join us,” she said.

“Hi, I’m Tess. I don’t know if you remember me,” Tess said, holding out her hand in greeting.

“Yes, of course I do,” Valentina said accepting the handshake.

“This is my friend, Natalie,” Tess said, motioning to the tall woman beside her. “Natalie, this is Valentina. She’s staying at our hotel.”

“Hi, Natalie,” Valentina said. “Nice to meet you,” she said politely.

They both pulled out chairs and sat down. “So you’re the one Juliana’s been going on and on about,” Natalie said.

Valentina glanced at Juliana, who sported an appropriate blush.

“I haven’t been going on and on about her,” Juliana said. “I was simply explaining the colour of her bikini.”

Natalie and Tess laughed. “How difficult is it to describe red?”

Valentina found Juliana absolutely adorable at that moment as their eyes met. Valentina was at a loss for words and her gaze dropped to Juliana’s lips. Juliana’s lower lip was trapped between her teeth and a slow smile formed and Valentina returned it.

“So how’s Matt’s famous gumbo?” Tess asked, breaking the spell.

“Very good,” Valentina said.

“Yeah. One of his better ones,” Juliana said. “You want me to get a bowl for you?”

“Why don’t you take Natalie,” Tess suggested. “I’d love a margarita too.”

Juliana stood, then pointed her finger at Tess. “No telling tales,” she warned.

“I’m sure we have more interesting things to talk about than you,” Tess said. As soon as they were gone, Tess leaned closer. “Juliana can be a handful,” she said. “I hope she’s not been pestering you too much.”

Valentina shook her head. “She’s wonderful, really. And far too charming to be considered a pest.”

Tess reached over and squeezed her arm. “I guess you’ve figured out how she got your room number. I’m sorry. It was very unprofessional of me, but Juliana has this way of…”

Valentina stopped her apology. “No, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. If I had been upset about it, I would have spoken to you immediately.”

“Well, regardless of your impression of her, she’s harmless. I promise.”

Valentina smiled and nodded. “She is fun, I enjoy her company.”

Before Tess could say more, Juliana returned with two more bowls of gumbo. Natalie followed behind carrying two margaritas, and handed one to Tess.

“The seafood buffet looks great,” Natalie said. “We’ll have to get some later.”

“Take some of ours,” Valentina offered.

Juliana snatched a shrimp quickly. “Yeah, take some of ours,” she said as she bit into it.

“You and your shrimp,” Tess said with a shake of her head. She looked at Valentina. “This woman eats her weight in shrimp whenever she’s down here.”

Valentina glanced at Juliana. “And how often is that?”

Juliana shrugged. “I come to visit three or four times a year, I guess.” Then she grinned. “And you’re the very first person I’ve ever taken to dinner.” Juliana looked at Tess. “Tell her. She thinks I’m a stalker!”

Tess laughed. “I have forbidden her from talking to my guests at the hotel. But for some reason, she totally ignored my rules when she saw you though.”

It was Valentina’s turn to blush. She met Juliana’s gaze, knowing exactly what she was thinking. _It was the bikini._ And for some reason, she was very, very thankful that she had purchased the new red bikini before the trip.

Their conversation drifted to many topics, and she enjoyed the sisterly interaction between Tess and Juliana. When Matt joined them, the three of them chatted like the old friends they were, regaling her and Natalie with stories from high school and beyond.

“So we sneaked into the pool after hours. This one,” Matt said, pointing at Juliana, “thought she could do a triple somersault off the high diving board.”

Tess laughed. “Can you say, ‘belly flop?”

Juliana held her thumb and forefinger up. “I was this close to nailing it.”

“Yeah. And you were this close,” Matt said, mimicking her fingers, “to getting us suspended.” He turned to Valentina. “We weren’t exactly wearing swimsuits.”

Valentina laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

He laughed too. “I’ve never heard so much yelling and screaming.”

“I was not screaming,” Juliana insisted.

“Oh, yes, you were,” Tess said. “You had a bruise on your stomach for a week!”

“Okay. So maybe I screamed a little,” Juliana said, glancing at Valentina. “They’re only telling you part of it. Matt bet me ten bucks that I wouldn’t do it.”

“And you never passed up a challenge,” he said. “The cleaning crew heard her screaming and came running. Imagine their surprise to find three naked students in the pool.”

“So why didn’t you get suspended?” Natalie asked.

Matt laughed. “These two naked beauties turned on their charm. The girls promised they wouldn’t tell that the doors had been left unlocked, if they didn’t tell anyone we had been in there swimming.”

“The doors were unlocked?”

“Oh, no. Juliana learned to pick locks in the eighth grade,” he said with a laugh.

“Yes, one of the many useful things my father taught me,” Juliana said with a grin.

The next hour passed quickly. Matt replaced their margarita cups with wineglasses and brought a bottle to the table. They all raised their glasses in a toast to Juliana on her birthday.

“Our little girl finally turns thirty,” Matt said. “May this birthday be one you’ll always remember.”

“And may you have many more,” Tess added.

“Thank you. I love you guys,” Juliana said. “And a toast to Valentina as well. Her birthday is coming up in a few weeks.”

Juliana touched glasses with them all, pausing to wink slightly when she met her eyes. Valentina returned it with a quick smile. In the few seconds their eyes locked, she wondered if this would be a birthday Juliana would remember forever. Or, would it be one _she_ would always remember?

After the wine, Tess and Natalie stood to leave. The sisters hugged tightly and Valentina watched with envy. Her only sister was six years older than her and they’d never had a close relationship. She couldn’t imagine having a bond like Juliana and Tess obviously shared.

“Nice to meet you,” Natalie told her. “Hope to see you again.”

“Thank you,” she said. “You too.”

Tess leaned close to her. “You can threaten to call me if Juliana gets out of hand,” she said with a smile.

“I think I can handle her,” Valentina said.

Tess nodded. “Yes, I think you can. Have fun, you two,” she said with wave as she left.

Matt bent down and kissed Juliana’s cheek, then walked over and did the same to Valentina. “It was great to meet you, Valentina. Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for letting us crash your party. The gumbo was excellent.”

He bowed slightly. “Thank you. Good night, my friends.”

Valentina smiled at Juliana. “They’re really nice. I had a really good time tonight.”

“Great. So did I.”

Valentina folded her hands together and rested her chin there, still looking at Juliana. “Good birthday?”

“So far.” Juliana wiggled her eyebrows. “I can think of a few things that would make it even better.”

Valentina wondered what had gotten into her as she leaned closer, her gaze dropping to Juliana’s mouth. “Only a few?”

“Do you want me to list them for you? Should I start with a kiss? Seeing you naked?”

Valentina swallowed, hoping she wasn’t in over her head here. She tried to remind herself that she didn’t really know this woman. Not really. Not enough to contemplate spending the night with her. But she thought she was a good enough judge of character to know that Juliana was indeed harmless. She had just spent the better part of two hours with her and her friends and no alarm bells had gone off. She frowned slightly as she pulled her gaze away. She had also thought she was a good judge of character when she started her relationship with Claudia. But how could she even compare that relationship to this? Juliana would be nothing more than a holiday fling.

She looked back at Juliana, her eyes were trusting and honest, open and friendly. She stared into them, knowing she had nothing to fear from her and surrendered to the desire that Juliana had been stoking for the last few days.

“You…you want to head back?” she asked, her voice hinting at the nervousness she felt.

Juliana nodded. “If you’re ready.”

The statement had a double meaning and she knew it. She met Juliana’s gaze head on, nodding slightly.

“Yes. I think I’m ready.”


	12. Chapter 12

Juliana waited until they were away from the lights of the party before taking her hand. They were walking close together, and Valentina's fingers clung tightly to her own. She had been captivated by this woman from the moment she laid eyes on her, but she wasn't sure how Valentina really felt until about ten minutes ago.

She hoped the attraction wasn't one-sided and that she hadn't been too obnoxious in her pursuit. But the last few minutes when they had sat alone at the table, she had finally seen what she was hoping for. Those baby blues had turned a shade darker, and Juliana had noticed the desire in them, even though she suspected Valentina was still trying to hide it.

Yes, she wanted to ravish her and she could hardly wait to get her naked, but her instincts told her to go slow with Valentina. Very slow.

So she eased their pace, taking them closer to the water. The moon was a couple of hours past rising but not yet high in the sky. Not the inflated and luminous moon they'd viewed the night before but still bright on the water. She paused, watching the light bounce on the waves. It was a warm, pleasant breeze this evening and she sighed contentedly. She felt Valentina's fingers move against hers, and she turned, finding Valentina's eyes on her.

She shifted, bringing Valentina closer. There was enough light for her to see Valentina's eyes clearly. Mixed with the desire she noticed there was still a little uncertainty, a little fear. She dropped her gaze to Valentina's mouth.

"I'm going to kiss you," she said quietly. She was surprised to see a quick smile on Valentina's lips.

"Do you always warn women before you kiss them?"

"Only when they look terrified that I'm about to."

Valentina's smile faded. "Maybe I was terrified you wouldn't."

As Juliana's gaze dropped to her lips again, she realised this wasn't just some college student she was with. Valentina was a mature, grown woman who was perhaps a little out of her element. And likewise, Juliana was a little out of hers. Nonetheless, Juliana felt an overwhelming need to protect her for some reason.

She brought her hand up, lightly grazing Valentina's cheek, noting the quick intake of breath, the darkening of eyes, the rapid pulse at the base of her neck. She felt a tremor and wasn't sure if it was Valentina or herself. She bent closer, her lips lightly brushing against Valentina's, testing her. There was no gesture of retreat, so she deepened the kiss, her eyes closing as she heard a subtle moan from Valentina. She didn't dare take it any further, not out here on the beach. She pulled away slowly, smiling at Valentina's shift in breathing, at the tightening of fingers against hers.

They didn't say anything as they continued on up the beach, the water lapping near them as high tide approached. When they reached the break in the dunes that would take them to the boardwalk and their hotel, Juliana hesitated.

"Val, if you're not sure, if you're not comfortable, we don't..."

"Please Juls, don't spoil the mood, not now," Valentina said.

Juliana smiled. "I wouldn't dare. Come on."

Again, no words were spoken and the only sound was their footsteps on the boardwalk. They heard laughter coming from the clothing optional pool and Juliana glanced over, seeing four women playing in the water.

"Don't even think about it," Valentina said as she tugged Juliana away.

Juliana laughed quietly, then motioned around the corner. "My room is on the first floor."

She fumbled with her key, finally getting the door opened. She left the light off as she closed the door behind them. They stood facing each other in the darkness.

"I... I don't normally do things like this," Valentina said. "In fact..."

"Shhh," Juliana stopped her with a gentle finger on her lips. "It's just us. No one else."

Valentina surprised her by parting her lips, her tongue coming out to brush against the finger that still rested there. It was enough to provoke Juliana into action, pulling Valentina flush against her body before finding her mouth with her own. Her intentions to go slow were ditched the instant Valentina's body moulded itself to hers. Quiet moans mingled as hands moved at will, pulling each other closer still.

Juliana felt her knees go weak when their kiss deepened, their tongues duelling for control. When she felt Valentina's hands slip under her shirt she knew she had underestimated her. She smiled against her lips, getting one in return.

"Can we take this off?" Valentina whispered, her fingers already working on the buttons of her shirt.

"Absolutely."

Juliana's shirt fell to the floor, but she stopped Valentina when she reached for her bra. Instead, she made fast work of Valentina's blouse, letting it drop where her own had landed. Juliana's heart was beating quickly in anticipation. There was just enough light in the room for her to make out Valentina's features, and she watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest, evidence of her own arousal.

Juliana reached out, her fingers running gently around the edge of Valentina's bra, feeling Valentina's breath catch as she touched the soft swell that was barely hidden by the lacy material. She continued her movements, feeling Valentina's nipple harden as she brushed against it.

She lowered her head, her mouth moving across Valentina's neck, then lower, following the path her fingers had taken seconds earlier. Valentina's breath was coming faster and the hands resting lightly at Juliana's waist tightened as her tongue flicked out, touching her nipple through the thin material of her bra.

The moan Valentina let slip out was Juliana's undoing. She reached behind her, fumbling only slightly with the hook before releasing the clasp. Valentina stepped away, letting Juliana remove her bra. Juliana's mouth watered as she stared at her, her breasts full and firm, her nipples rock hard.

"Beautiful," she whispered as her hands cupped her, her thumbs raking across each nipple, causing Valentina to draw in a quick breath.

"Yours," panted Valentina. "Off."

Juliana did as she asked, nearly ripping the bra from her body impatient to be naked. Valentina pulled her down to the bed and Juliana eagerly followed, resting her weight on top. Valentina guided her to her breasts and Juliana's mouth covered her, her tongue swirling around a taut nipple before drawing it inside, sucking gently. Valentina moaned again, her hips moving instinctively against Juliana. Juliana pressed down, groaning in frustration as their shorts prevented the contact she craved. She released Valentina's nipple long enough to unbutton her shorts, then Valentina's. Impatient hands shoved them down and they kicked them off, finally leaving them naked.

Valentina's thighs parted and Juliana slipped between them, her mouth returning to Valentina's breast, then back to her mouth, their tongues again brushing wetly against the other. Valentina cupped Juliana's hips, pulling her hard against her as her thighs parted even further.

"God, I can feel how wet you are," Juliana murmured against her mouth as she thrust against her.

"Yes," Valentina breathed. "It's been... it's been a long time since... I've been with someone."

Juliana kissed her hard. "Then I'm going to make you come all night long," she said, finding her nipple again, her lips closing around it.

She shifted slightly, her hand moving between them, feeling their wetness as it coated their thighs. With her fingers, she opened Valentina, exposing her clit. She thrust forward, opening herself as well until their clits were touching. Valentina moaned loudly as Juliana moved against her, grinding their centres together.

"Dear God," Valentina groaned, her hands holding Juliana firmly to her.

Juliana was shocked to feel her orgasm building already and she hoped Valentina was close too. It was too exhilarating to even think about slowing down. She thrust harder against her, gasping for breath as their clits slammed together.

"Oh... yes," Valentina hissed as her hips jerked hard against Juliana. Her body buckled as she climaxed and Juliana gave in to her own orgasm, feeling herself pulsing against Valentina as she continued to keep them pressed together.

"Jesus," she breathed as she collapsed on top of Valentina. "I didn't mean for it to be so quick," she said, her breathing still ragged.

"There's nothing wrong with fast," Valentina said, her hands still moving lightly against Juliana's bare back.

"No?"

Valentina surprised her by rolling them over, Valentina now on top. "No, but slow is good too," she said.

Juliana sucked in her breath as Valentina's mouth found its way to her breast. "Yeah, slow is good too," she murmured, her eyes closing as Valentina's lips closed over her nipple. "Very, very good."


	13. Chapter 13

Valentina stretched her legs out, her sore muscles protesting after their night of activity. She felt Juliana's warm body next to her and she opened her eyes, wondering what time it was. The room was still dark so she closed them again as she felt Juliana stir. The brunette rolled towards her, slipping an arm possessively across her waist. Valentina turned, letting her lips brush against Juliana's face.

She should be exhausted. She was exhausted. But after nearly a year of neglect, her body was still making demands. Even though they'd been in bed for hours and Juliana had made good on her promise, Valentina had indeed come all night long, her body still wanted more.

Juliana's eyes opened and she smiled as Valentina's hand moved over her hip and along the curve of her waist.

Valentina smiled too. "It's like someone has taken over my body," she tried to explain.

"Yeah. It was me," Juliana said before suddenly sitting up. "Come on."

"Come on, where?"

"Bathroom break, then we have to go."

"Go? Go where?" Valentina asked confused.

Juliana stood beside the bed, completely naked. She tilted her head to Valentina. "It's almost dawn," she said as if that explained everything.

Valentina closed her eyes, refusing to move. _And Juliana is back to being Juliana_ , she thought with a smile. "And that means what exactly?"

Juliana pulled the covers off her. "That means... skinny-dipping."

Valentina sat up, trying to reach for the covers. "Oh, no. No, no, no. I am not going skinny-dipping!"

"Come on, Val. It'll be fun!"

And that, of course, was all it took. She swung her legs out of bed, telling herself in vain that she would not, ever, go skinny-dipping. Apparently, that was about to change.

They put on the same clothes they'd worn the night before, neither of them bothering with underwear or bras. Valentina was shocked at the time. It was nearly five, but there was no sign of the impending dawn. Darkness still hovered over the beach.

Juliana took her hand and led her to the private pool. The few lights in the water were a mix of red and yellow, making the pool sensuously inviting. Nonetheless, she was still nervous.

As if sensing that, Juliana pulled her closer. "We're all alone."

The brush of her body dispersed some of her anxiety and Valentina savoured the gentle kiss Juliana gave her. Her pulse leapt to life at the contact, making her very aware that neither of them were wearing anything beneath their clothes. Juliana deepened the kiss, her tongue tracing Valentina's lower lip before slipping inside. Valentina's mouth opened, moaning into the kiss as Juliana slipped a thigh between her legs.

"Have you ever made love in the water?" Juliana whispered.

Had she? She had her own pool. She and Claudia had shared it, surely. But at that moment, she was having a hard time recalling Claudia's face, so it was impossible to remember if they'd ever made love in her pool.

"No. Am I about to?"

Juliana's answer was a sexy grin, and she stripped off her clothes. Valentina stood frozen in place as Juliana walked to the edge of the pool and dove in with barely a ripple.

_God, she's got a great body._

And Valentina wanted it. Again.

She quickly took off her own clothing, tossing them on the lounge chair beside the towels they'd brought with them. Juliana was waiting for her, she dove in, although not quite as gracefully as Juliana. The water was cool but not overly so. She swam over to Juliana. She had to admit, it was indeed freeing to be in the water totally naked. It had a completely different feel than when wearing a suit.

"Nice," she said. "It feels... sensuous."

"Yes. There's nothing like it."

Juliana led them to shallower water, just above their waists. She felt the hard edge of the pool against her back as Juliana came closer, her hands sliding over and around her body, the water making her feel weightless as Juliana lifted her, bringing her to rest on her thigh.

Their kiss was heated, wet, their mouths clashing as their tongues battled. There was no foreplay as Juliana swiftly entered her, and Valentina didn't need there to be. She was ready and she moaned as Juliana's fingers filled her. Their mouths were still joined, their kisses changing between tongues and lips and back to tongues. Juliana had one arm around her waist, holding her up as her other hand moved between them, her fingers slipping in and out of her quickly, her thumb raking across her clit with each stroke.

"Can you feel it?" Juliana whispered, her mouth moving to Valentina's ear. "I wish that was my tongue instead of my fingers."

Valentina moaned as she pictured just that.

"I would suck your clit into my mouth, make you scream my name."

The words rang in her ear as she recalled Juliana doing that very thing not so long ago. She was panting as she clung to Juliana, the water splashing between them as Juliana's fingers continued to plunge inside her.

"When we get back to the room, I'm going to devour you with my mouth," Juliana said, her lips still moving against her ear. "My tongue inside of you, not my fingers. You'll be so wet and I'll drink it all, I'll eat every bit of you, I'll..."

But Valentina heard no more as the roar of her orgasm rendered her deaf. She tried to muffle her scream against Juliana's shoulder as she felt her world spin. She squeezed her thighs together, holding Juliana's fingers deep inside of her.

"Dear God," she gasped. "Juls... that was... incredible."

With her arms draped across Juliana's shoulders, she straddled Juliana's waist, wrapping her legs around her as they bobbed gently in the water. Juliana's mouth found her nipple and Valentina threw her head back, relishing the feeling as Juliana's tongue flicked against it. It was only then that Juliana withdrew her fingers and Valentina was shocked to realise she was still so incredibly aroused. She didn't know if it was the water or Juliana's earlier words or simply Juliana herself, but Valentina wanted to devour her... right here, right now.

Feeling daring, feeling as if someone had indeed taken over her body, she dropped her legs from around Juliana's waist and stood, her gaze fiery hot as she stared at her.

"I want you. Now."

She didn't wait for a reply. She led Juliana into the shallow end and up on to the steps.

"Sit down. Now lie back."

Juliana did as she instructed, and Valentina knelt on the bottom step. She spread Juliana's thighs, revealing her glistening wetness. Valentina felt nearly delirious as she buried her face there, moaning as she tasted Juliana. Her tongue rubbed against her clit, then lower, slipping inside her. Juliana's hips jerked and Valentina held them down. She moved back to her clit, sucking it hard inside her mouth, loving the sounds coming from Juliana as she feasted on her. She heard Juliana panting, felt Juliana's hand in her hair, recognised the arch of her hips as she neared orgasm but she didn't want it to end. She hadn't had her fill yet, but Juliana climaxed anyway, jerking up hard as she screamed out, then holding Valentina's mouth to her, her tongue pressed hard against her clit, feeling it pulse against it.

"Jesus, Val," Juliana murmured as her hand relaxed.

Valentina couldn't pull her mouth away. She moved her lips back and forth, still tasting her, causing Juliana to jerk with each touch. She ran her tongue up and down the length of her, taking care to avoid her sensitive clit. She could have stayed there for hours, but Juliana finally pulled her up.

They slipped back into the water, embracing tightly, their bodies pressed together. Their kisses were gentle, lips moving slowly against lips, kisses that made Valentina's heart flutter with each pass. They floated like that for long minutes, kissing, touching, caressing. They only parted when they became aware of dawn approaching. The sky was turning a soft pink and the first calls of morning were heard as gulls raced to the shore.

They got out of the pool together, and Juliana tossed her a towel.

"So how was your first skinny-dipping experience?"

Valentina laughed quietly. "Quite enjoyable. Thank you."

Juliana grinned. "No. Thank you. That was the best birthday ever."

Valentina sighed. "Good. But I'm totally exhausted."

"Yeah? I thought you had great stamina for your age."

Valentina rolled her eyes while slipping on her shirt. "Not a great morning-after line," she said. "Try again."

Juliana laughed. "I'm teasing. I'm thirty now. We're practically the same age."

"I'll be thirty-five in less than a month. That's not practically the same age." And reminding herself of her age and her lack of sleep, she had to cover a yawn. "I'm so tired."

"My bed is available," Juliana offered.

Valentina smiled but shook her head. "I don't think we would get very much sleep," she said as she watched Juliana slip her shorts back on. Her hands itching to take them off again.

"So I shouldn't offer you coffee and breakfast?"

"Maybe later," she said. She walked closer, kissing Juliana lightly on the lips. "I had a wonderful time. Thank you."

Juliana nodded. "I'll see you again though, right?"

Valentina frowned. "I don't even know what day it is."

"It's Thursday," Juliana supplied. "Did you lose a few days?"

She laughed. "It feels like it. I'm going to get some sleep. Find me later," she said, having no doubt that Juliana would.

She felt Juliana watching her as she walked away, but she didn't dare turn around. If Juliana provoked her, even slightly, she knew she would end up back in her room with her. But she suspected Juliana was as tired as she was.

It was only as she was opening the door to her own room that she let the magnitude of the evening, the night, the morning, hit her. She had just had the most incredible sex of her life with a woman she has only known for a few days. She paused, expecting to feel shame or even regret. And was surprised to feel neither.

Instead, she slipped out of her clothes and fell into bed. After being dormant for so long, her body was very much alive. She smiled contentedly, wondering what the next couple of days would bring.


	14. Chapter 14

Juliana stretched her arms over her head and let out a loud yawn before dropping herself into one of Tess's chairs. She had managed to sleep until almost noon, finding herself in the exact same position as when she'd fallen asleep. Although she was still tired, she could not keep the smile off her face. The night, and morning, had been fantastic.

Tess hung up the phone, finally giving Juliana her full attention. A slow smile formed on her face.

"Well, don't you look... radiant," Tess said.

"Radiant? I don't know if I'd use that word. Extremely or unbelievably satisfied, maybe," she said with a grin. "It was the best birthday ever. If they were all like last night, I might actually start celebrating them."

"I'm happy for you Juli." Tess paused for a second, "Valentina's not going to, like, press charges or anything, right?"

Juliana laughed. "I don't think so. Especially since our time together didn't end until dawn. Down in the pool," she added with a wink.

"God, you did it in the pool? You've always been obsessed with skinny-dipping. It's a wonder you haven't been arrested by now!" Tess said with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," Juliana said dismissively. "Now, tell me, where is she from?"

"Valentina?" Tess shook her head. "Nope. Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on, Tess," Juliana pleaded.

"No. It's one thing for you to stalk her here. But I will not give you her address so you can stalk her when she goes home."

"I'm not going to stalk her," Juliana promised. "I just want to know where she lives."

Tess shook her head. "If she wants you to know, she'll tell you."

Juliana blew out her breath. "I guess. But will you at least give me her last name?"

Tess laughed. "No. Ask her yourself if you want to know."

Juliana knew by the look on Tess's face that she wasn't going to divulge any of Valentina's personal information. Giving up her room number was one thing. Her home address quite another. Well, she supposed Tess was right. If Valentina wanted her to know, she would tell her.

"Okay, fine. What about lunch? I was going to drive over to Taco Barn. Do you want something?"

"Sounds great," she said as her phone rang. "Get me three. Mix and match," she said before answering.

Juliana nodded and left Tess to her work. She paused outside the door for a few seconds, wondering if the blonde had appeared by the pool yet. After a quick glance around she suspected that Valentina wasn't up yet. She was probably still in bed, under the covers. That thought made her smile, knowing she was the reason Valentina was exhausted.

Yeah, it had been a great birthday.

* * *

On her way to the shower, Valentina was startled by the ringing of her phone. She stared at it for the longest time, only realising that she hadn't even looked at the thing for nearly three days. She sprang into action, snatching it up as she recognised Renata's ringtone.

"What's wrong?"

Renata laughed. "Why do you assume something's wrong?"

"Because you said you wouldn't call me unless there was an emergency," she reminded her.

"Yes, but that was because I assumed you would be checking in a couple of times a day. And since I hadn't heard from you..."

Valentina smiled. "Well, I took your advice. I have been relaxing. Recharging," she said.

"That's great Valentina. So you've been having fun?"

At that, Valentina blushed freely. "Yes. I've been having... fun."

"So we don't need to worry about you?"

"No. Actually, I met a few people here. I even had dinner with a group of them last night, in fact." And that was technically true, she told herself. She saw no reason to go into the dynamics of the group dinner, and absolutely no reason to mention Juliana's name.

"Well, good for you," Renata said. "I was afraid you would spend the whole time locked in your room reading. Have you at least gone down to the beach?"

"Yes. I've been to the beach. And I have done some reading, but it was by the pool. So yes, I am having a nice, relaxing time. Thank you for making me do this," she said.

"You're welcome. I suppose I should let you get back to it, then. Your flight is on Saturday, right? Are you sure you don't need me to pick you up?"

"No. I left my car at the airport but thank you."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you in the office on Monday. I can't wait to hear all about your trip."

"Yes Renata, I'll see you on Monday."

She tossed her phone on to the bed, wondering how much she would tell Renata. She shrugged. She could tell her nothing, or she could tell her everything. She could imagine Renata's shocked face if she told her about last night. To say it was out of character for her would be an understatement.

Oh, well. She wasn't going to worry about it. Right now, all she wanted was a shower and something to eat. And then she wanted to slip into her bikini and head down to the pool.

Later, she hoped, Juliana would be willing to slip that bikini back off her.

 _God_.

She met her reflection in the mirror, not recognising the woman smiling back at her.


	15. Chapter 15

Juliana smiled broadly when she spotted Valentina heading to the sun lounger by the pool. She glanced at her half-eaten burrito, wondering how quickly she could finish it.

"I take it by the look on your face that Valentina is out there?" Tess asked with a quick glance out her window.

Juliana wiped her smile away. "I don't have a look," she said as she bit into her burrito.

"You seem quite taken with her, sis. I don't think you've ever been out with anyone older than twenty-five before, never mind sleeping with one."

"I'm not taken with her," Juliana said with a shake of her head. "She's cute and sexy and we had a really good time together." She put her burrito down, considering Tess's comment. "You're right though. I don't think I've ever been out with anyone older than twenty-five. In fact, twenty-four might be more accurate." She sipped from her tea. "Why do you think that is?"

Tess shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you just got into a habit of dating college girls."

"Well, yeah. I was in college once but I've just thirty. So what's my excuse now?"

Tess finished off her last taco, then wiped her mouth. "Please don't get offended," she started. "But I think a lot of it has to do with your father."

"Macario? Why?"

"He's very laid-back. He doesn't get too worked up about anything. He likes to have fun. He'd rather go fishing than go to work."

"And who wouldn't?"

"Yes, but most people still go to work even if they'd rather be fishing! But not your dad."

"Okay. So he's not exactly responsible. But I hope you're not implying that I'm not either," she said.

"Of course not. I know that without you his painting business would have folded years ago. But you like to have fun too. And that's great. Everyone should. But as we get older, we have more responsibilities and less time to do things on a whim. Yet you also have your dad's laid-back streak. And you're as spontaneous today as you were in high school," Tess said.

"Okay. So what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying, you still have that side of you where you want to blow off work and head to the lake. But most people can't do that. Unless you don't work or you're a college student and you can blow off class."

Juliana smiled but shook her head. "You think that's why I date college students? Because they don't have adult responsibilities yet?" Juliana leaned forward. "You don't think it has to do with long legs, tanned bodies and how good they look in a bikini?"

Tess leaned forward too. "Then why are you drooling over the thirty-five-year-old woman sitting out there?"

"I'm not drooling," she said. "Much. But have you seen her in that red bikini?"

"Exactly. And she's not a college student. And you are totally drooling over her."

Juliana laughed. "Well, if you'd had the night, and morning, that I had, you would be drooling too."

Tess smiled. "I have my own gorgeous woman to drool over, thank you very much."

Juliana folded up the rest of her burrito and tossed it in the trash. "I like Natalie. She's good for you."

Tess laughed. "Meaning she doesn't come with baggage?"

"Well, you said it, not me!"

Tess nodded. "It's refreshing, really. There's no drama with her. When's the last time I was able to say that about someone I was dating?"

"Never!" Juliana smiled.

Tess folded up her trash too, then waved Juliana away. "Go away, go get your older woman."

Juliana grinned. "Thanks, sis."

"Thanks for lunch. Enjoy your afternoon."

"I hope to."

"Don't get into trouble!" Tess shouted just as Juliana closed the door.

Juliana realised she was actually whistling as she headed towards the pool. She stopped, trying to compose herself. Geez, you'd think she'd never been with a woman before. So she took a deep breath before going through the gate, her gaze traveling across the handful of other women before landing on Valentina.

She was stretched out on the lounger, her blonde hair brushed back from her face, sunglasses covering those baby blues. Juliana took all that in quickly even though her eyes were glued to the tiny bikini top covering her breasts. A black bikini today, she noted as her gaze travelled across her stomach, hips and legs, then back up.

Yes, she was indeed drooling. She swallowed, then walked closer. Valentina turned her head although Juliana couldn't see her eyes because of the sunglasses.

Juliana raised her eyebrows. "Your skin is glistening. I see you took my advice and used some lotion today."

Valentina slowly shoved her sunglasses up, revealing the eyes that Juliana wanted to fall into. Valentina smiled as did Juliana.

"Yes, I did, and I managed to do it all by myself."

Juliana tilted her head, her gaze again making a trek across Valentina's body. "I didn't think it could get any better than the red bikini," she said. "But... wow," she whispered.

"And why do you have so many clothes on?"

"If you want to take them off of me, you can."

Valentina laughed. "I'm not sure I've recovered yet."

"No?" Juliana pulled a chair closer and sat down, stretching her legs out. "Well, I didn't want to tempt you, so I thought I should wear shorts."

"Tempt me? I remember exactly what you look like without clothes," Valentina said quietly.

Juliana met her eyes, feeling a flutter in her stomach. "Yeah? So when do you think you will have recovered?"

Valentina raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Because I want to take that bikini off you."

Valentina smiled. "I thought you liked it."

"Yes, I love it. And I'm going to love it even more as I'm slipping it off your body." She was pleased to see Valentina's eyes darken, pleased to hear her quick intake of breath. "I think I'd really like to do that right now," she continued, her voice not much more than a whisper. "I'm going to take your top off first. Then I'm going to touch your nipples with my tongue, my mouth." She paused. "I'm going to suck on them until you beg me to stop." She swallowed, her own breathing becoming ragged. "Then I'm going to remove that tiny piece of material from your bottom. You are going to be so wet for me. Then I'll..."

"Okay... okay." Valentina jumped up and grabbed Juliana's hand, pulling her after her. "I've recovered enough."

They raced to Juliana's room and she was embarrassed to find her hand shaking as she tried to get the door opened. Damn, but she was aroused and she hadn't even touched her yet. They fell inside, and Juliana kicked the door shut with her foot, smiling as Valentina beckoned her to come closer.

"Now, what were you going to do first?"


	16. Chapter 16

Valentina stared at the sign above the door, then looked back at Juliana frowning.

“I don’t feel comfortable going in there,” she admitted. “I’ve never...”

“It’ll be fun,” Juliana said.

And there were those three words again. Valentina tried to push her embarrassment aside. After all, she didn’t know anyone in Corpus Christi. The fact that she had never, not once, set foot inside a store that sold sex toys was beside the point. After spending over an hour in bed, then sharing a shower, Juliana had suggested a trip into Corpus. “We could buy something to play with tonight,” she’d said. Of course, Juliana’s hand had been between her legs at the time and Valentina would have probably agreed to almost anything.

She looked at the closed door again, while nervously biting on her lower lip. It appeared dark inside. She imagined a sleazy man, probably overweight with greasy hair, waiting behind a glassed cage. He would leer at them as they entered, probably demand ID and a secret code to enter the shadowy corners of the sex toy store.

Would she dare? She took a deep breath and nodded at Juliana, bravely following her inside. But the dark window completely contradicted the interior of the store. It was bright and well lit, cheery almost. She smiled at her earlier thoughts. There was no fat, greasy-haired man staring at them. A young woman was behind the counter, and she barely glanced their way, her attention on the iPad she held.

There were a few other people in the store, mostly talking in low voices. Two girls who looked barely college age started giggling as they browsed through rows and rows of dildos.

“So what do you like?” Juliana whispered.

Valentina gave her a slow smile. “You haven't figured that out yet?”

Juliana leaned closer. “Well, I mean besides my mouth all over your body.”

Valentina felt Juliana’s breath on her ear, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She met Juliana’s gaze, remembering exactly where that mouth had been only an hour ago.

“I’ve never used... toys,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

She wasn’t sure if she expected a teasing retort or perhaps a mention of her boring and conservative dating history, but the soft, rather sweet smile from Juliana was not it. Juliana’s fingers tightened around hers for a quick moment.

“Then we won’t get anything too crazy,” Juliana said. “Let’s just look around. We don’t have to get anything if you don’t want to.”

Valentina returned the squeeze against her fingers. “I trust you.”

Juliana leaned closer and brushed her lips against Valentina’s mouth. “Good.”

Valentina looked around quickly, checking to see if anyone had seen their kiss. She was not used to being kissed in public. Her embarrassment returned tenfold as she stared, open-mouthed, at a harness and whip.

“No, no, no,” Juliana said. “I’m not into that sort of thing. Over here,” she said, leading her around the corner. “Vibrators.” She motioned farther down. “Dildos.”

Valentina’s gaze travelled over what appeared to be hundreds of choices, all different colours, sizes and shapes. She was at a loss for words.

“Oh, the Luv Bunny,” Juliana said, pointing. She grinned at her. “That sounds interesting.”

“What in the world do you do with all of this stuff?” Valentina asked in a whisper.

“Alas, if I only I had the time to show you,” Juliana sighed dramatically. She picked up one of the vibrators, scanning the information on it. “Eight-function G-spot vibrator,” she said. “‘Select your favourite function using the built-in push button at the base,’” she read, “‘and enjoy intense pleasure throughout the silky-smooth shaft.’” Juliana met her eyes and smiled. “‘The tip is angled to specifically target the G-spot for amazing climaxes.’”

Valentina swallowed nervously.

“As an added bonus,” Juliana said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “It’s waterproof.”

At that, Valentina laughed. “I’m guessing you want to try it in the pool.”

Juliana’s face turned serious. “Can we?”

Valentina could do nothing more than nod. This entire vacation had been so out of character for her, beginning with taking the trip in the first place. But meeting Juliana, sleeping with her, having the best sex of her life, and now shopping for sex toys had her head spinning. She was so far out of her element, so far removed from her life as the boring, conservative accountant, that she hardly recognised herself. And now here she stood, in the middle of a sex toy store, contemplating which vibrator to buy so they could use it in the hotel pool. She couldn’t help but wonder what her friends would think of her.

As if sensing her self-doubt, Juliana spoke, “You know, we don’t have to get anything. It’s not like it hasn’t been fantastic as it is.”

Valentina stared at her. “Has it been?”

“God, yes. For me anyway. I thought for you too. But if...”

“No. I mean, yes. Yes, it has been,” she said quickly, seeing uncertainty flash in the brunette's eyes. “I’m sorry. All this,” she said, waving her hand. “I feel so sheltered,” she admitted. “So old.”

Juliana shook her head. “You’re not old, Valentina.” She put the vibrator back on the shelf. “Come on. Let’s get an early dinner. I know a nice place in the bay.”

“Okay.” Valentina glanced back at the vibrator, then smiled. “But can we still get it?”

* * *

Juliana covered Valentina’s mouth with her own, trying to stifle her scream as she climaxed. Valentina jerked her mouth away, gasping for breath as her body convulsed.

“Jesus Juls,” Valentina whispered as her arms fell limply to her sides. “You’re killing me.”

“But we haven’t tried it in the pool yet,” Juliana said with a grin, her lips moving lazily to Valentina’s breasts. She was surprised Valentina still had the energy to moan as she suckled her nipple.

“You have to stop,” Valentina said. “I won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

Juliana pulled her mouth away from Valentina’s breast. She rolled Valentina to her side, then snuggled up behind her, wrapping her arms around her. Valentina sighed contentedly as she pulled Juliana’s arms tighter around her.

“Yes. Just let me rest for a minute,” Valentina murmured.

Juliana smiled against her neck, then untangled their hands long enough to bring the sheet over them. She needed the rest too. After an early dinner in which their conversation had touched on numerous topics, from childhood vacations to siblings, she still didn’t know where Valentina lived although she assumed it was somewhere in Texas. She had come close to asking several times, but Tess’s words were still fresh. If Valentina wanted her to know, she would tell her. So after a light dinner and a walk along the bay, they returned to the resort where they once again found themselves in Juliana’s room. Their sex toy was momentarily forgotten as they raced to undress, then hands and mouths were everywhere at once and they fell into bed together. Their first orgasms came quick and it was Valentina who remembered the toy as they lay there recovering.

“Oh, yeah. We bought something to help with that, didn’t we?”

And now, two hours later, they were both at the brink of exhaustion. She heard Valentina’s even breathing and knew she was already asleep. Juliana closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness, the aftermath of their lovemaking. She snuggled a little closer and let sleep claim her too.


	17. Chapter 17

Never in her life had she felt so... so sexual. Valentina stretched out, loving the feel of the cool sheets against her naked body. She was still a bit drowsy, but she felt relaxed in a dreamy sort of way. Relaxed and oh, so satisfied. She smiled and rolled over, ignoring the soreness of her muscles. She would guess she'd probably had more sex in the last few days than she'd had in the last few years combined. That, she thought, spoke volumes on the state of her relationship with Claudia. But she didn't want to think about that now.

No, now she wanted to get as close as possible to the naked woman lying next to her. Juliana was still asleep, on her side facing Valentina. If she weren't so tired, she would wake Juliana and suggest a skinny-dipping trip before dawn, but that would mean they would have to get out of bed. Her gaze lingered on Juliana, past the lips that were parted slightly and up to her eyelids that fluttered as if she were deep in a sleep. Valentina took this opportunity to observe her freely. She knew Juliana was only thirty, but in her sleep, she looked even younger. Her face was smooth and flawless and nicely tanned. She had to stop herself from reaching out and touching it. She already knew how soft her skin was. She'd felt it with her hands and her mouth.

She sighed, knowing their time together was nearing its end. This would be their last day. She would be leaving the next morning and she assumed Juliana was as well. She remembered her saying she was staying until Saturday.

She was surprised Juliana hadn't asked again where she lived, or what her last name was. But it didn't matter. They were from two different worlds and this was nothing more than a holiday fling. She would remember it forever, of course. How could she not? But when she returned to Austin, she would have to go back to reality. And the reality was, she was a boring, conservative accountant with boring, conservative friends. She smiled, knowing some of them would be offended by her description, however true it may be.

But she still had one more day. One more day to be carefree, one more day to play. And she didn't intend to waste a minute of it.

So she moved her hand under the covers, not stopping until she touched warm, smooth skin. Juliana stirred and Valentina continued, cupping Juliana's breast lightly, rubbing her nipple with her thumb. It became rigid immediately.

Juliana opened her eyes, then pulled Valentina closer, rolling to her back. Valentina rested on top of her, their breasts touching as she leaned down for a kiss. The kiss deepened, their tongues dancing. Valentina moaned when Juliana spread her thighs, and she pressed down into her. Juliana's hands on her back nearly moulded their bodies together as one. She pulled away from the kiss, breathing hard as they rocked together.

"Not yet," she whispered hoarsely, slowing their pace. She met Juliana's stare. "I want you to use your mouth."

Juliana's grin was almost wicked. "My pleasure," she murmured as she drew Valentina down for another kiss. "Why don't we both?"

_Oh God._

"Turn around."

Valentina stared at her. It was once again something she had never done before. But considering everything they had already done, she felt her embarrassment slip away as quickly as it arrived. She nodded, doing as Juliana requested.

Warm hands on her hips guided her back until she was straddling Juliana's head. Valentina was literally trembling with anticipation as Juliana lay sprawled out below her. She realised she was nearly panting and tried to slow her breathing.

"Relax."

_Oh God._

She had no more time to think as Juliana pulled her hips down and she felt the quick brush of Juliana's tongue. She moaned, then lowered her head, falling into Juliana's wetness. She wrapped her lips around Juliana's clit at the same instant Juliana's mouth closed around hers. It was the most exquisite feeling in the world. She was almost delirious as they feasted on each other. All thoughts abandoned her and she held on to the euphoric feeling that ran through her entire body. She was moaning loudly and couldn't help it. She no longer cared. She didn't know how close Juliana was to orgasm, but she simply couldn't hold off any longer. Her world exploded in blinding colours as Juliana's tongue continued its assault on her clit. Her mouth clamped down hard, sucking Juliana's clit into her mouth, giving the last of her energy to Juliana, hoping it was enough. She was rewarded with a guttural scream from Juliana as her thighs tightened around her head.

_Oh God._

She rolled to her side, resting her head against Juliana's legs, trying to catch her breath. She couldn't keep the smile off her face. Damn, but that felt good.

"So, good morning," Juliana said.

Valentina was too spent to raise her head, even though she recognised the amusement in Juliana's voice.

"Thank you," was all she could manage.

Juliana laughed quietly. "I think that should be a mutual thank you."

"God, that was amazing," she said.

Juliana sat up and then reached for her. "Come back up here," she said.

Valentina finally moved, crawling back up the bed on her knees before falling again. Letting Juliana pull her closer, she laid her head against Juliana's shoulder.

"Wonder what time it is?"

"I don't care," she said with a smile, letting her eyes close.

"Me either," Juliana said.

Later, Valentina woke with a jump, she quickly sat up in the bed. It was much later, she assumed as sunlight streamed in through the opened blinds. Juliana was nowhere to be found and a quick feel of the sheets told her she had been gone for a while. She reached across the bed to the nightstand for her phone. She was shocked to see that it was nearly noon. She didn't know why she was so shocked. She was starving and the rumbling of her stomach confirmed it.

She got out of bed and looked for her clothes. They had left them strewn across the floor the night before. But after a quick glance around the room, she found them neatly folded on top of the dresser. She took them into the bathroom with her and dressed quickly, deciding to go to her own room for a shower and clean clothes. She would decide then if she would get lunch or try to find Juliana.

She felt a little self-conscious as she opened the door, taking a quick look around to see if anyone was watching. Of course, no one else knew she was sneaking out of another woman's room at noon. She skipped the elevator and took the stairs to the second floor. Her room was immaculate and she shook her head with a smile. She had barely used it in the last couple of days.

As hungry as she was, she needed a quick shower, but once she stood under the warm stream of water, she closed her eyes, standing there for long minutes before reaching for the soap. As she ran her slippery hands across her breasts, her thoughts immediately went to Juliana. She hadn't had a lot of lovers in her life but none of them had ever been as... well, as incredible a lover as Juliana. She doubted she would ever find someone like that again. Of course, maybe it was just the fact that she had been feeling a little promiscuous on this vacation that had made the sex seem fabulous.

Oh, well. She reminded herself, again, she would be leaving in the morning. There was really no need to try to dissect their relationship. She would enjoy the time they had left and tuck the memories away to be enjoyed at another time.


	18. Chapter 18

Juliana stopped by Tess's office before going in search of Valentina. She'd gone to get burgers at her favourite place and had picked up lunch for Tess as well.

"I've hardly seen you this trip," Tess complained as it was obvious Juliana planned to eat elsewhere.

"Sorry, sis, but wow, what a week it's been," she said with a grin.

"Did you get her name and address yet?"

Juliana's smiled faltered. "No. She hasn't mentioned it. And she hasn't asked for mine either."

Tess shrugged. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Yeah, well. It's been fun. But I need to head back in the morning. I promised Fer I would help her with the pool house this weekend."

"You mean since you use it more than they do?"

"Yeah. I thought it was only right," she said with a laugh. "Their spring-fed pool is incredible and it's finally warm enough to use it again. But they've been doing some renovations. They've added an outdoor kitchen and other bits and pieces." She held up the bag of burgers. "I gotta go. I'll stop by and see you before I leave."

Tess shook her head. "I'm not working tomorrow. Natalie and I are taking a beach day down at Padre," she said.

"Then I'll catch you on the next trip." Tess stood up as Juliana walked over and they hugged goodbye. "Thanks for putting me up. I had a fabulous time."

"You're welcome. I'll see you later."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Juliana stopped to take a peek at the pool, but she didn't really expect Valentina to be out there. She wasn't. Next, she stopped by her own room. It was empty. So she headed to the stairs and hurried up to the second floor to Valentina's room. She knocked three times in quick succession, not even considering that Valentina might not be around.

But the door opened quickly and they stood there looking at each other, both smiling. Juliana finally remembered the burgers and she held the bag up.

"Hungry?"

"God, yes," Valentina said as she pulled her into the room. "I don't care what it is. I'll eat anything."

"Burgers and fries," Juliana said, pulling a burger from the bag. "I got it with everything on it."

"Perfect," Valentina said, taking the burger. "It smells wonderful," she said as she nearly ripped the wrapping off.

"Figured you'd be hungry," Juliana said. Her own stomach growled as she unwrapped hers.

"Starving," Valentina said before taking a bite. She moaned and closed her eyes as she chewed. "Mmm... It's really good," she mumbled.

Juliana took a bite too. "It's a local joint," she explained after she swallowed. "Here. Take some fries."

They sat on the bed and laid the fries out between them. Juliana tore into a packet of ketchup and squirted it all over her side of the fries. Valentina took one and dipped it into the ketchup, then nodded as Juliana offered her a packet.

"What time did you get up?"

"Nearly noon," Valentina said. "I slept like a rock."

"No kidding. Even my singing in the shower didn't wake you," she said.

"I hate that I missed that," Valentina teased. "When did you leave?"

"About eleven thirty." Juliana took another bite of her burger. "If you're feeling rested, I thought we could maybe do something fun today."

Valentina chewed slowly. "What did you have in mind?"

"Parasailing."

Valentina's eyes widened as her eyebrows shot upwards. "Parasailing?"

"Yeah. A buddy of mine owns a tour business. He would probably give us a break on the cost," she said.

Valentina put her burger down. "Parasailing?" she asked again. "Like flying over the water like... well, like a kite?"

Juliana laughed. "Yeah, kinda like a kite, I guess."

Valentina shook her head. "No. Absolutely not."

"Come on, Val. It'll be fun."

"Fun? You call that fun? Hanging by a thread over the Gulf?"

"It won't be out in the Gulf. He goes up Lydia Ann to Aransas Bay. There'll be land on both sides. You'll get a close-up of the old lighthouse. The views are great."

"I'll take your word for it," Valentina said as she picked up her burger again. "I'm not crazy about heights. In fact, it's hard enough to get on a plane."

"It's perfectly safe. You're in a harness. They wheel you out and back in. You don't even touch the water. Not like in the old days where you'd splash down into the water. Now that was fun," she said.

"Well, I wouldn't mind a ride in the boat but going up in the air, no thank you."

"You can do it two at a time," she said. "I'll be right there with you." She shrugged. "But if you don't want to, that's fine."

"Oh, no. We can go. I'll just watch."

"Great. Let me give him a call. You're going to love it. It'll be fun."

* * *

Valentina was enjoying the boat ride as they cruised up what she learned was the Lydia Ann Channel. Juliana pointed out the deactivated lighthouse as they sped past. She saw something in the water and grabbed Juliana by the arm excitedly. Two dolphins surfaced and then dove again.

"Did you see that?"

Juliana smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Hopefully, you'll get to see some more."

Juliana's friend Ben had been between tours and offered to take them out. He hadn't charged them yet, saying he would wait and see how long they were out. She had no clue what it would cost to parasail or charter a boat, but Juliana didn't seem concerned. Besides Ben, there were two other crew members who would help Juliana with the parasail. Valentina intended on taking pictures with her phone, nothing more. While she knew she wouldn't forget Juliana, it would be nice to have a picture of her. It was only a plus that she was wearing her bikini, even though she had swim shorts on too. They had both worn T-shirts over their tops, and she, like Juliana, had taken hers off as soon as they were on the boat.

As the channel widened, Valentina assumed they were now in Aransas Bay. The boat slowed, and Ben turned around, eyebrows raised.

"Ready?"

"You bet." Juliana looked at her. "Are you sure you don't want to try it?"

"Very sure," she said.

"Okay. Wish me luck."

Juliana surprised her by bending down for a kiss. Valentina was a bit embarrassed by such a public display, but no one seemed to have even noticed as the crew was readying the parasail.

Juliana tightened her lifejacket and then slipped on the harness. Ben turned the boat slowly as the crew let out lines. Soon, the parasail was inflated and hanging overhead. It was a brightly coloured parachute with rainbow colours. Juliana waved at her, then walked on to the launch deck. As she watched the crew attach the harness to a bar, Valentina found her heart beating nervously. Juliana had told her earlier that she would be two or three hundred feet in the air.

Juliana gave a thumbs-up to Ben, who nodded and sped up. In a matter of seconds Juliana was in the air. Valentina tried to take it all in, watching as a winch turned, giving Juliana more line. She nearly forgot about taking pictures and quickly brought up her phone, but Juliana was already too far away. The boat picked up speed, towing a waving Juliana behind. Maybe ten minutes later, Ben slowed his pace and Valentina noticed the winch rewinding, pulling Juliana back in. In no time, Juliana had landed safely on the deck, a huge smile on her face.

"God, that was awesome," she said excitedly as she stepped out of the harness. "You should try it."

And while it did look a lot safer than what she had imagined, she still couldn't see herself dangling over the water like that.

"We can both go at the same time, you know."

Valentina hesitated. It did look like fun.

"I've been doing this for quite a few years," Ben said. "And we've never had an accident, not even once."

"Come on. It'll be fun."

Valentina stared into Juliana's eyes, wondering what it was about this woman, why could she talk her into doing almost anything.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

It was a whirlwind as she was fitted into her lifejacket and harness. She had no time to back out. Before she knew what was happening, she was sitting on the launch deck beside Juliana, her harness clipped securely, she hoped, to the bar.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she said, taking a firm grip on the harness below the clip.

Juliana gave thumbs-up, and Valentina braced herself for lift off. However, it was so smooth, she shouldn't have worried. The boat picked up speed, and they just floated away, sailing higher into the sky.

"Oh my God," she said. "It's like we're floating. I thought it would be really windy."

"It's not too bad. We're not going as fast as you think."

"Oh my God. We're getting higher," she said. "Should we be this high?"

"Relax and enjoy the view."

That was easier said than done as a gust of wind blew against them. It was spectacular up this high, but she couldn't stop worrying whether the harness or the rope would hold them.

"See the lighthouse?" Juliana pointed. "The island is just past that. You can really see the channels from up here."

"Yes, but we're really, really high," she said, feeling a bit of vertigo as she looked down.

"You're doing great. Just relax. They'll bring us down in a minute."

Valentina felt a little more comfortable when Juliana linked arms with her, pulling her closer. Valentina smiled in thanks and after taking a deep breath, tried to relax. As soon as she stopped worrying about the rope breaking and them plunging into the water, that is. Because, as Juliana said, a few minutes later she felt the tug on the rope as they were being pulled back to the boat. She held tight to the harness as they approached the launch deck.

"Lift your legs up," Juliana instructed.

Valentina did and they landed softly on the deck without incident. She let out a relieved breath, then broke into laughter.

"We made it!"

"Were you worried?" Juliana asked as she helped her up.

"A little, yes." But she couldn't keep the smile from her face. "That was awesome." She looked up into the sky. "I mean, we were up there," she said, pointing. "I can't believe I just did that."

Juliana unhooked her lifejacket, then helped Valentina with hers. "Unless you want to go again?"

"No, no. I'm good," she said with a laugh. She turned to Ben. "Thank you. That was fun."

"My pleasure."

Now that she was safely back in the boat, the whole thing seemed like no big deal. Of course, she doubted anyone from her real life would believe she had just done that. That thought brought her back down to earth. Her real life. She glanced at Juliana, who turned with a smile on her face. Valentina returned it, although she was beginning to feel a little depressed suddenly. She would be leaving tomorrow. Back to her real life. A life that did not include impromptu boat rides and parasailing. A life that was always regimented and planned, never spontaneous. And a life, that certainly did not include Juliana. God, how depressing.

Juliana bumped her shoulder.

"You okay?"

Valentina nodded. "I guess it just hit me. This Vacation is coming to an end."

Juliana put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "We still have one more night," she said directly into her ear. "Let's make it memorable."

Valentina laughed. "Can it get any better than last night?"

Juliana laughed too. "Is that a challenge?"

* * *

Juliana rolled onto her back, gasping for breath, wondering who was trying to kill whom. Valentina still clutched her hand tightly, and Juliana smiled, doubting that it ever got any better than this.

"Don't ever do that again," Valentina said with short breaths.

"No? You did it to me first. And I thought you liked it."

"I did. I liked it a lot. But I'm still seeing stars."

Juliana laughed quietly. "I'm thinking that's a good thing."

"Yeah. If you're twenty," Valentina said.

Juliana laughed louder. "You're very flexible for your age."

Valentina groaned. "Please tell me that wasn't meant as a compliment!"

Juliana leaned over, trailing kisses along Valentina's stomach up to her breasts. "You have a fantastic body," she murmured. And apparently, she couldn't get enough of it. Maybe it was because she knew their time together was dwindling, but she hadn't wanted to waste even one minute of it sleeping. Thankfully, Valentina seemed to be of the same mind. She could only guess it must be two or three in the morning by now.

"Come hold me," Valentina said quietly. "Let's rest for a while."

Juliana did as she was asked, spooning behind Valentina and wrapping her up tight in her arms. Valentina snuggled against her, their fingers entwining.

Juliana wanted to stay awake, to savour these last few hours, but she felt herself getting drowsy. She couldn't remember the last time, if ever, she'd felt so wonderfully in tune with a lover. She and Valentina, being practically strangers, had such great chemistry. It was a nice balance of give and take, something she wasn't used to. Most of the college girls she took to bed were more interested in receiving than giving, something she certainly didn't mind doing. But it was nice to have a lover who made sure Juliana was equally satisfied. She sighed, thinking she had never been more satisfied than she was at that moment. Her eyes slipped closed and she finally gave in to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Valentina wasn't exactly sure what the protocol was for saying goodbye to a woman she hardly knew, a woman she would never see again... yet physically, a woman she was very familiar with. The time spent with Juliana had been more intimate, and intense, than any other time in her life. That included a nearly five-year relationship with Claudia. Never once had her lovemaking with Claudia even come close to what she and Juliana had shared. God, how sad was that?

Well, it would do her no good to dwell on it. Her luggage was packed, she had showered and dressed in clean clothes. Her flight was in three hours and she had already called for a shuttle. It was time to go home and get back to her real life. She hesitated, wondering why she was feeling so out of sorts this morning, wondering why she wished they had just one more day.

But they didn't. Juliana was leaving as well. They had already said their physical goodbyes. Even then, she had a hard time pulling out of Juliana's arms, a hard time leaving her bed. One more kiss and then another. And she had come so close to asking Juliana where she lived, so close to telling Juliana where she lived. But in the end, she thought it would serve no purpose. While they enjoyed a holiday romance, it could never translate to the real world. And besides, if Juliana wanted Valentina to know who she was, where she lived, she would have told her.

So they would meet for coffee as planned, say a final goodbye, then get on with their lives. A depressing prospect at the moment, but she was sure that after a few days, she would be able to put this whole thing into perspective. Specifically, that it was a fun adventure but one that was so out of character for her, she still had a hard time believing it.

She took one last glance around the room she had hardly used, pulled up the handle on her luggage and rolled it out into the hallway behind her.

She found Juliana sitting at the bar as planned. She was dressed in army-green cargo shorts and a T-shirt advertising the Rainbow Island Resort. A gift from her sister, no doubt. She was holding a cup of coffee, and when Valentina approached, Juliana held up her finger to the bartender, silently asking her to bring another cup.

"All packed?" Juliana asked.

Valentina nodded. "You?"

"Yeah. It's already in my Jeep. I've got a painting gig this weekend," Juliana said.

"Oh?" she asked as she stirred a little sugar into her coffee before taking a sip.

"Friends of mine are doing some renovations on their pool house. Since I like to sneak over there and use their pool, it seemed only right that I should volunteer my services," she said with a teasing smile.

That smile was yet one more thing that Valentina was sure to miss. Her own smile faded at the prospect. Juliana seemed to read her mind. She reached out, taking her hand and entwining their fingers.

"It's been the best week, Valentina."

"Yes. It has." Then she allowed one more smile. "Thank you for stalking me."

Juliana laughed. "Thank you for not calling the police."

They both let their smiles fade as their eyes held. Then one last squeeze of fingers and they let those slip away too.

"I should go," Valentina said. "The shuttle will be here any minute."

"You're flying out?" Juliana asked surprised.

"Yes."

Juliana stood up and pulled Valentina up too. They embraced quickly, holding each other tight, then they stepped apart, putting a little space between them. There really wasn't anything left to say so Valentina simply nodded.

"Goodbye, Juliana."

"Goodbye."

Valentina turned quickly, shocked by her sudden sense of loss. She hurried away, afraid that if she turned around to look at Juliana even once she would run back into her arms. Thankfully, the shuttle pulled up in front of the resort as soon as she got there. She turned back, glancing behind her, but Juliana wasn't there. It was just as well, she told herself.

* * *

"Damn," Juliana whispered as Valentina rounded the corner, out of sight. She hadn't expected it to be so hard to watch Valentina walk out of her life. She tossed a few dollars on the bar, then headed to her Jeep. So it was over. Just like that.

Even though it was very warm out, she took the top off the Jeep. There was no better way to clear her head than a three-hour drive in the sunshine and wind. But before she started out, she picked up her phone, calling Tess.

"Hey, sorry to bother you on your day off," she said.

"It's okay, we just got out here," Tess said. "Are you heading back to Austin?"

"Yeah." She paused. "Valentina just left. You didn't tell me she flew in."

"And?"

"Well, if she flew, does that mean she doesn't live in Texas?"

"I take it she still didn't share anything with you?"

Juliana blew out her breath. "No. Nothing."

"I'm sorry Juli."

"And you're still not going to tell me?"

"Come on, Juliana. Like I said, if she wanted you to know..."

"Yeah, yeah. She would have told me herself," Juliana finished for her. "I know. You're right."

"So, you really liked this woman, huh? She's a little old for you, isn't she?" Tess asked with a laugh.

Juliana laughed too. "Maybe I'm growing up."

"Well, it's about time," she laughed.

"Yeah, whatever." She looked up into the clear sky, watching as a few puffy clouds drifted in from the Gulf. "Okay. You two have fun on the beach. I'll probably come back in September, after the crowds die down a bit."

"Okay, sis. Drive carefully."

"I will."

She started her Jeep, then took one last look at the resort, knowing she could never come back here without Valentina taking over her every thought.

"Damn it."


	20. Chapter 20

Valentina sat at her desk, her chin resting in the palm of her hand, staring absently out the window. The office space she rented was a cute, older building that housed only her accountancy firm and a law firm. Two of the attorneys were young, outdoorsy types who rode bikes to work every day. They had also fixed up the back yard area, making a patio and a sitting area. Two bird feeders and a birdbath were placed next to the trees along the fence. Although they had completed all the work, they had offered to share the sitting area with Valentina and her staff as well. She knew the others used it on occasion, but she had never once set foot out there. But for some reason since she had returned from her vacation she longed to sit in the shade and watch the birds at the feeder. But so far, she had resisted.

“Are you ready to talk yet?”

Valentina jerked her head around, surprised to find Renata standing by her desk. She hadn’t even heard her come in.

“Talk?”

Renata must have taken that as a ‘yes’ as she plopped herself down in the visitor’s chair. “You’ve been back over a month now. Or someone who looks like you came back over a month ago.”

Valentina gave her a humourless smile. She knew she had been vague about her trip, only giving brief details. ‘Yes, it was very relaxing.’ ‘Yes, I had a great time.’ Not much more than that. She thought that was enough.

“What’s going on with you, Valentina? You hardly talk to anyone. You sit and stare out the window most of the day. I’m assuming you’re taking work home with you since you don’t seem to be backlogged,” Renata said.

Valentina arched an eyebrow. “You do know I am still the boss, right?”

Renata brushed her protest away with a wave of her hand. “We both know I run this office,” she said with a smile. “Now tell me what’s going on with you. I’ve never seen you like this.”

Valentina knew she was right. “Do you know Caroline Joseph?”

“I know the name. She’s an attorney. I’ve seen her commercials.”

“Yes. And you know how I feel about attorneys,” she paused. “She has invited me to dinner.”

Renata eyes lit up. “Like a date? That’s great. It’s about time you dated again.”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” she agreed.

“So why are you in this mood?” Renata paused. “Please don’t say it has something to do with Claudia. Not after all this time.”

“No. God, no,” Valentina said with a shake of her head. “It has to do with Juliana.”

Renata frowned. “Who is Juliana?”

Valentina had vowed she would never tell anyone about Juliana, about their romantic fling. Once she was back in her familiar surroundings, she was even more surprised over her actions. It was so unlike her, so out of character for her, that she was doubly embarrassed by the whole thing. That, of course, didn’t stop her from hoping Juliana would pop back into her life one day. She knew if Juliana really wanted to see her, really wanted to contact her, all she had to do was to get her personal information from her sister. As each day passed, and then each week, without contact, she was more convinced than ever that their time together was simply what she had thought all along, a holiday romance, nothing more.

She ran into Caroline at her pop in-and-out birthday happy hour last week. She had met her before but had never spoken more than a few words to her. That evening, they spent nearly an hour chatting, and before she knew it, Caroline had invited her to dinner. Valentina had been flattered that she had asked. Caroline was attractive and quite popular among their circle of friends. She hadn’t accepted, though. She had asked Caroline to call her the following week, and she had. This time, Valentina accepted. They were going out tomorrow night.

She looked at Renata. “You think I should go, right?”

“Wait a minute. Who is Juliana?”

“I met her when I was on vacation,” she said.

“And what does she have to do with Caroline Joseph?”

Valentina bit her lip. “I kinda... I kinda had a fling with her.”

Renata jumped out of her chair; her eyes wide. “What? You had a fling?” Renata shook her head. “You don’t have flings.”

“Oh, God, I know. It was so... so not me,” she admitted. “But it was wonderful,” she added with a smile.

“Okay, so you had a fling. I mean, like sex and everything?” She asked doubtfully.

“Lots of sex,” Valentina said, feeling a blush on her face. “Like, a... lot!”

“Oh my God!” Renata nearly shrieked. “With a stranger you just met? Are you insane?”

“It’s your fault,” Valentina said, pointing at her. “You made me go. You said to relax. To recharge.”

“I didn’t say to grab the first woman you saw and sleep with her.” Then Renata grinned. “So it was wonderful, huh?”

“I’ve never been flirted with so shamelessly in my entire life. And she was young and cute and fun and I just... went with it.”

“How young?”

“We celebrated her thirtieth birthday,” she said.

“That’s not so young. I thought you were going to say twenty or something.”

“Thirty is young when you consider the women I usually hang around with. Caroline, for instance. She must be at least ten years older than I am.”

Renata sat down again. “So you’ve been in a mood ever since you got back. Is it because of this woman? Juliana?”

“I don’t know. I’m just having a hard time getting back into the swing of it, I guess. We never exchanged last names. I have no idea where she lives. Yet I find myself thinking about her all the time. I miss her,” she admitted. “I miss her smile and her laughter. I miss being with her.”

“Fine. But what does this have to do with Caroline? Juliana was a fling. She’s not here. Caroline is. I think you should go out with her and get on with your life.”

“I know.”

Yes, she needed to just let Juliana go, forget about her. She would never forget their time together, of course. That was something etched in her mind forever. But Renata was right. She needed to get on with her life. When she looked back on this, she would remember her vacation as a jumpstart to the rest of her life. At least, she hoped she would. Starting to date again was the first step.

She smiled at Renata. “We’re going to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Good. And I’m not sure that she’s ten years older than you. She looks good in those commercials.”

Valentina nodded. Yes, Caroline Joseph was very attractive. She had a very successful business, but really, she was nothing more than an ambulance chaser. Of course, her disdain for attorneys had more to do with Claudia and her current love interest than it did with Caroline. But their circle was getting smaller, and she would die if she ran into Claudia while they were out.

Her life seemed much less complicated while she was at the beach. Of course, vacations were supposed to have that effect on a person. Having hot sex and a lot of it surely didn’t hurt matters.

Oh, yeah. She was supposed to stop thinking about Juliana, wasn’t she?


	21. Chapter 21

Juliana grabbed a pepperoni off the top of the pizza as Camz brought it to the table. A ceiling fan circled overhead and another fan blew on them from the corner. July was not normally the best time to have dinner outside, but they had finally finished with the pool house and all three had wanted to enjoy it. They had spent nearly an hour in the pool before succumbing to hunger.

Fer held up her beer bottle, clicking lightly on hers. “Thanks for all your help Juli.”

“My pleasure,” said Juliana.

And it was, she enjoyed her time here. She had first met Fernanda and Camilla four years ago when they had been contracted on the same house. Fer, with her organic landscaping business, and Camz, who was just making a name for herself in her design business, and Juliana, who had made an appearance before making a bid on the painting work, they had hit it off immediately, even though Fer and Camz were a little older than she was. It wasn’t long before Juliana was spending nearly as much time with them, here at their house, as she was at her own apartment. Fer’s grandfather had built the place and Fer had remodelled the house a couple of times, but it was the pool and garden that had the most appeal. The S-shaped, spring-fed pool was all limestone and slate rocks and the trees, shrubs and flowers surrounding it on all sides made for a near-jungle feel to it. Of course, what made it all the better… Fer was a fan of skinny-dipping too.

“You’ve been helping us nearly every weekend,” Camz said. “And not once have you brought one of your college girls around.” She took a bite of her pizza. “What’s up with that?”

“Why? Do you miss them?”

Camz shook her head. “I was nearly fifteen years older than the last one you brought here. I hardly knew what to say to her.”

“Lyn? Yeah, she was young. Fer was old enough to be her mother,” she teased.

Fer laughed good-naturedly. “I’m telling you, forty is no big deal. Camz is right behind me.”

“Thanks for reminding me.”

Juliana laughed with them. “I won’t have a problem turning forty. Thirty was pretty fantastic. I can only hope forty is the same.”

It was Camz who leaned closer with a curious expression on her face. “And why was that? You’ve been very vague about your time down at the coast.”

Juliana shrugged. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t mentioned Valentina to them. Maybe because she wanted to keep her all to herself.

“Well, there was a woman,” she said.

“A woman?” Camz asked.

“Closer to your age, actually. She’s thirty-five.”

“Wow. That must be a first for you!”

Juliana nodded. “Yeah. We had a… really good time. But it didn’t go past that. I don’t even know where she’s from.”

“Well, I suppose that at least told you that you could have fun with a more mature woman. Maybe you’ll stop ogling the college students now,” Camz said with a smile. “Don’t you think it’s time you settled down?”

“You sound like Tess,” Juliana said. “And when I was in my twenties, it didn’t seem odd that I was dating college girls.” She shrugged again. “Now? Well, maybe you’re right.” She grinned. “But damn, they’ve got stamina.”

“It’s the quality, not the quantity,” Camz said. “Besides, Fer and I still have plenty of stamina.”

Juliana laughed when Fer actually blushed. “Can we change the subject?” Fer asked. “How about we discuss the party?”

The ‘party’ was their annual get-together for their new clients as well as some of the builders they worked with. Juliana had made a lot of contacts at these gatherings. She was looking forward to this year’s event as well. The first two they had held here at the house, but they had quickly outgrown that. They now rented a place and had it catered.

“I thought you’d decided on barbeque again,” Juliana said.

“We’re thinking more of finger foods and a buffet. You can mingle better that way,” Camz said. “If everyone’s at a designated table with a full meal, it’s hard to make the rounds and talk business.”

“Sandwiches? Cheese and crackers? What?”

“A little fancier than that,” Fer said. “Smoked turkey or brisket.”

“We could still do a barbeque theme,” Camz said. “We could just do mini-sandwiches instead of a full meal. We could have different tables set up, all with different combinations of food. That way, guests can make the rounds to each table and still be able to mingle.”

“Margarita machine?” Juliana asked hopefully.

Fer shook her head. “Beer and wine only.”

“We’re shooting for mid-August again,” Camz said. “Does that suit you?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“I hope your college girls will be back in town by then. It would be a shame if you actually had to work to get a date,” she said with a laugh.

“Me? Work?”

No, Valentina was really the only time she had to work at it. Juliana had had several opportunities to go out these last six or eight weeks, but she hadn’t been in the mood. In fact, every time she thought about asking someone out, Valentina popped into her mind and she just lost interest. But hell, it had been long enough. She’d met a graduate student, a friend of a friend. She was cute, she was blonde and she had made it clear she was interested. Staci would do nicely to get her back into the swing of things. In fact, she might borrow Macario’s boat and ask her out to the lake. She suspected she would look hot in a bikini.


	22. Chapter 22

Valentina nodded at the appropriate times, trying really, really hard to appear interested in what Caroline was telling her. A parking brake didn't hold, someone tried to keep the car from rolling back by pushing it, messed up their knee, surgery, made a lot of money. Even the guy who had to have surgery made a little. To hear Caroline talk, it sounded like she had pocketed most of it.

"I love cases like that," Caroline continued. "Easy. Cut and dried. The insurance company had no choice."

Valentina smiled and nodded politely. "I guess not." She sipped from her wineglass as Caroline launched into another story. It was their second date. Dinner out again. The restaurant was nice, one Valentina had been to before. It turned out Caroline was a bit of a wine connoisseur, even speaking French to the waiter as she selected a bottle. At one time, Valentina would have been thoroughly impressed by that. Tonight, though, she felt it was staged and all for show. As Caroline continued her monologue, Valentina had to remind herself that she was lucky to be out with her. Caroline was a dark-haired beauty and considered to be a good catch. She reminded herself that some of her friends were quite jealous that they were dating.

Of course, she wasn't certain she would call it dating. Their second date came almost a month after their first. And the first had ended with a quick kiss on the cheek, nothing more. In fact, because of that, Valentina had been shocked when Caroline had called and asked her out again.

"I'd like for you to see it."

Valentina blinked several times, wondering what Caroline was talking about. She really needed to pay better attention.

"Of course, I'll wait until I've moved in," Caroline said with a quick laugh. "I'll probably have a small get-together. I spent that much money, I should really show it off."

Oh. Her new house. The custom-built house that was 'fabulous' and 'cost a fortune.' The house that had taken nearly a year to complete. Valentina smiled and nodded.

"I will look forward to it. It sounds quite remarkable."

"Oh, it is. I lucked out on the designer too. I was going to go with Wilkes and Bonner," Caroline said. "They're the biggest in Austin and most of the custom builders use them. But I just didn't get a good feel when I interviewed them. I went with Camilla Burns instead. She's really talented. And quite attractive," she said with a laugh. "But her partner owns Montgomery Landscaping. All organic, which is a plus. I ended up using both of them and I couldn't be happier."

"Yes, I've actually used Montgomery Landscaping myself," Valentina said.

"Really? Well, maybe you'd like to accompany me to their party."

"What party?"

"They have a yearly party, a thank-you of sorts, I suppose. They invite their most current clients. I hadn't heard of it before, but I did some inquiring. Apparently, all the major builders show up." Caroline smiled again. "I feel obligated to go. I mean, I'm so pleased with their work."

Valentina nodded. "Of course."

"It's next Saturday, at seven o'clock. Interested?"

Valentina wondered how rude it would be to say no, she wasn't remotely interested. But her social life was nearly non-existent. Besides going out with Caroline, she'd had lunch a few times with friends and had been on three blind dates, all of which were forgettable. She wouldn't say disastrous, but she knew within the first five minutes of each that she would never go out with any of them again. To make matters worse, one of them was actually friends with Claudia and her new partner. Talk about awkward. So now she plastered a smile on her face and nodded with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

"I'd love to go."

"Great." Caroline smiled at her, then reached across the table and took her hand. "Listen, after dinner, would you like to do something fun?"

Valentina nodded. "Sure. It's still early," she said.

"I've got tickets to the lecture series at the university. Tonight's lecture is on urban development and modern architecture. When I started in college, that was my dream."

"To lecture?"

"No," Caroline laughed. "To be an architect. I would have made a good one."

"I'm sure you would have."

Valentina tried not to choke on her wine as she contemplated a 'fun' evening sitting through a lecture on architecture. The only thing she could think of that would be worse would be a trip to the dentist for a root canal.

Later, as she was seated next to Caroline in the plush theatre, the lights just dark enough for them to remain anonymous in the crowd, she took the time to reflect on her feelings at that moment, her true innermost feelings. She was shocked to admit to herself that what she was feeling, it was depression. Not the depression of despair or hopelessness. Rather, a deep unhappiness settled over her. So much so that she wanted to curl into a ball and cry. That shocked her even more. She was not emotional; she did not cry. She glanced over at Caroline, noting her rapt attention on the speaker. Caroline looked at her briefly and smiled, then turned back to the stage.

Valentina wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with her. Caroline was exactly her type. She was a professional woman, she was well established, she was stable. And she was attractive to boot. They also had a number of mutual friends, which was always a bonus. Unfortunately, there wasn't even a hint of a spark between them. At least as far as Valentina was concerned. But perhaps she was being too hasty. This was only their second date.

She sighed, longing for the night to be over with. She wanted to go home, slip into some comfortable clothes... and be depressed all by herself, rather than sitting in a room full of strangers.


	23. Chapter 23

Juliana led Staci through the crowd, wondering why in the world she'd let herself be talked into going to a bar at this time of night. She'd had a busy day at work, and she would have another busy one tomorrow. When she'd invited Staci out to dinner, she thought they would get to know each other better, maybe make plans for a second date. Staci was in her first year of graduate school and seemed a little more mature than most. But after dinner, just as Juliana was about to suggest she take her home, Staci had suggested the bar instead. At the time, Juliana imagined them dancing. She hadn't missed the fact that Staci wore no bra. Maybe their first date might turn out to be more than just dinner after all. But now as she tried to find a spot at a table, the crowd loud and boisterous around her, she forgot all about Staci's lack of a bra.

"It's kinda crowded," she said loudly. "You sure you want to do this?"

Staci grabbed her hips and pulled Juliana closer to her. "Let's get a drink or two first. Then we'll do it," she said with a laugh.

Okay. So maybe she'd be late to work tomorrow.

After her second drink, Staci made it perfectly clear that she had meant what she said. Her dancing was extremely suggestive, and Juliana found herself responding to her. However, a short time later, when Staci had Juliana pinned against the wall by the restrooms, her tongue shoved in her mouth, Juliana knew it was time to leave.

"How about we take this somewhere else?" She said between kisses.

"My place?"

"Sure."

It was a quick but challenging drive as Staci was practically in her lap, hands roaming her body at will.

"God, you're hot," Staci said into her ear. "I like an older woman who knows what she's doing."

Juliana laughed. "Well, I know what I'm doing. I don't know about the 'older' part, though."

Once inside Staci's apartment, it was all a whirlwind. Staci ripped her own blouse off, confirming Juliana's observation that she wore no bra. Staci's hands then went to Juliana's jeans, unbuttoning them quickly.

"My bedroom's a mess," Staci said. "How about the sofa?"

"Whatever," Juliana said as she kicked off her jeans.

She hardly had time to step out of them before Staci pulled her down on to the couch. As Juliana lay on top of her, it occurred to her how slight Staci was, how young she was. She shook those thoughts away as her hand moved between them. She might be young, but she was no child. Her thighs parted invitingly, and Juliana went there, finding her wet and ready. She closed her eyes as she entered her, trying to wipe away the image of Valentina lying beneath her.

"Oh, yeah. Harder," Staci panted. "Fuck me harder."

Juliana did as she was asked.


	24. Chapter 24

Valentina twirled her pencil between her fingers, her gaze fixed again on the bird feeders outside her office window. They'd been there for over a year but it was only recently that she even took notice of them. Maybe because it was only recently that she found herself staring outside... daydreaming.

Daydreaming of her toes in the warm sand, the gulf breeze in her hair, the sounds of laughing gulls and splashing surf. And envisioning a moon, a midnight moon, overhead. Envisioning sunshine and clear, blue skies. And Juliana there beside her, her flirty smile, her sensuous lips. Her body glistening, the bikini hiding very little. Then later, that bikini slipping off her body, revealing...

_Ay Valentina!_

She sighed, stopping her thoughts before they could go any further. She'd done a good job of putting Juliana out of her mind these past few months. But since she'd started dating again, since she'd been out with Caroline, since Caroline had kissed her so passionately the other night, thoughts of Juliana had returned. Because she felt absolutely nothing with any of these other women. Caroline's passionate kiss stirred nothing in her. Yet she went along with it. She let Caroline's hands travel up her waist, she let Caroline touch her breast. It was only when she realised exactly what Caroline had in mind that she slowed things down, telling Caroline, 'not yet.'

"Problem?"

Valentina turned, offering a quick smile to Renata. "No. I'm finished with the account," she said. She tossed her pencil down. "She wants to sleep with me."

Renata's eyebrows shot up. "Mrs. Vincent?" she asked, referring to the account Valentina had been working on.

Valentina laughed. "No. Caroline Joseph."

Renata sat down. "And that's a bad thing?"

"I'm not sure it's a good idea. We've only been out twice."

"Good Lord, Valentina. On vacation, you slept with a woman you'd just met."

"I know I did. Do you think I've forgotten?"

"Well then? What's wrong with Caroline?"

"Nothing's wrong with her. Well, other than being an ambulance chaser," she said. "She's perfect for me, really. She's exactly my type. Right?"

"Yes. Or so you say."

Valentina groaned and banged her head lightly on her desk. "I know." She lifted her head up. "I don't even know what my type is anymore. After dinner the other night, we went to a lecture. I was bored out of my mind. I wanted to be anywhere but there."

"So why did you go?"

"She asked if I wanted to do something 'fun'!" Valentina said.

"Fun? A lecture?" Renata frowned.

"I know. And I shouldn't judge. I mean, Claudia liked to go to lectures. We went before. A lot of my friends go."

Renata shrugged. "So sleep with her. See how it goes."

"That's just it. I'm not really attracted to her," she said. "I don't think it's going to go very well."

"But you're going out again?"

Valentina nodded. "Saturday night. Something else I don't want to go to. Her designer or something is having a party for her clients," she said with a wave of her hand. "Probably a bunch of snooty rich people comparing blueprints of their custom homes."

Renata laughed. "You have a custom home," she reminded her.

"Yes, but it's not my custom home," she said. "I never would have built it with four bedrooms."

"So are you going with her?"

"I don't know. I keep hoping I'll come down with the flu or something," she pouted, much to Renata's amusement.


	25. Chapter 25

Valentina had no such luck with the flu, she walked beside Caroline, feeling slightly overdressed. Caroline had assumed it was a dressy affair and they had both worn their business suits. However, judging by the other guests, it was a much more casual party. And why not? It was a Saturday evening in August. Valentina looked with envy at a woman wearing light khaki pants and a cool, sleeveless shirt. The first thing she planned to do was ditch her jacket.

“They have wine,” Caroline said. “I’ll bring you a glass.”

“Okay, thanks.”

As soon as Caroline left her, she slipped out of her suit jacket and draped it over her arm. There appeared to be an odd mix of guests, some wearing jeans and some slacks, but she did see a few other women with suits on so she didn’t feel quite as conspicuous as before. She glanced around the room, wondering how long Caroline would want to stay. Then she heard laughter to her left, a hauntingly familiar laugh, and she turned toward it.

_Oh my God._

The woman had her back to her but, Valentina actually had to remind herself to breathe again. Could it possibly be her?

 _Oh my God._

She blinked several times, wondering if she were dreaming. Surely it couldn’t be her. Then the woman turned, as if feeling Valentina watching her.

Juliana. Their eyes held, and she recognised the shock in Juliana’s eyes. She was certain hers looked the same. Then Juliana smiled, that sexy, flirty smile that Valentina would always remember, and headed towards her. Juliana was dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt and looked every bit as attractive, and irresistible, as she remembered. She hesitated only a heartbeat before going to Juliana. They embraced quickly, and Valentina felt a myriad of emotions in those few seconds that they held each other.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Juliana asked with a grin.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Valentina said.

“You live here? In Austin?” Valentina nodded and Juliana’s laughter rang out. “What are the chances?”

Valentina couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “You too?”

“Yeah. Well, not in the city, but close enough.” Juliana stared into her eyes. “You look... you look great, Valentina.”

Valentina shrugged. “We thought it was more formal.”

Juliana arched an eyebrow. “We?”

Valentina smiled almost apologetically. “A... a friend,” she said. Then she turned, seeing Caroline approach. Suddenly, everything seemed far too complicated and she wondered why she felt guilty. Was it for Juliana’s sake or Caroline’s?

“There you are,” Caroline said, pausing to glance only briefly at Juliana. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Of course.” Valentina turned back to Juliana. “Well, I guess...”

“Yeah, sure,” Juliana said. “Go on. Maybe we’ll get a chance to chat later.”

Valentina nodded, wondering if that was a good idea or not. Her heart was pounding nervously as it was and she took Caroline’s hand. _Oh my God._ She couldn’t believe Juliana was here, of all places. She chanced a quick glance behind her, seeing Juliana return to the people she’d been talking to. The young blonde woman instantly linked arms with Juliana and Valentina felt a stab of jealousy. She pulled her eyes away and tightened her grip on Caroline’s hand.

“This is the woman who designed the interior of my home,” Caroline was saying and Valentina pulled her thoughts back to the present.

“Camilla Burns.”

Valentina shook her hand politely. She appeared to be near her own age, maybe a little older. Camilla’s hair was blonde, a little darker than her own, and she had friendly blue eyes. Valentina matched her smile.

“Glad you could make it,” Camz said.

“Her partner, Fernanda, owns the landscaping company that designed my yard and pool area,” Caroline said. “Of course, you actually had Montgomery do work for you too.”

“A few years ago, yes,” Valentina said.

“Well, Camilla, I must say, the house turned out fabulous. Thank you. When I envisioned the blended colour scheme on the walls, I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to pull it off, but they’re magnificent.”

Camz laughed lightly. “I didn’t know if we could pull it off either,” she said. “But I can’t take credit for the work. All I did was design the colour scheme. The painting was done by Valdés Painting Pros.” She looked around. “In fact, I know Juliana is here somewhere. She owns the company.”

Valentina’s breath caught. Surely there was only one Juliana here. Apparently, their world was getting smaller by the minute. And she owned the company? She slowly shook her head, remembering their conversation that day on the beach about Juliana’s profession, as a painter.

“There she is,” Camz said. “Let me get her. She’s very nice. You’ll love her.”

Caroline leaned closer as Camz walked toward Juliana. “Isn’t that the woman you were chatting with earlier?”

“Yes. Small world, isn’t it?”

But Juliana’s smile was infectious, and Valentina returned it as Juliana walked over with Camz who motioned between them.

“This is Caroline Joseph. We finished our part of her house nearly a month ago,” Camz said.

Juliana and Caroline shook hands, then Juliana motioned to Valentina.

“Actually, Valentina and I met earlier this summer,” Juliana explained. “Down in Port Aransas.”

“I was on vacation,” Valentina added quickly, wondering why she felt compelled to explain.

“Oh? So this is the one...”

“Yes,” Juliana said quickly, cutting Camz off.

“Oh,” Caroline said, smiling between the two of them. “Well, I just wanted to thank you personally,” she said. “The colour blends are absolutely fabulous.”

Juliana nodded. “I remember the house,” she said. “It was a challenge. We don’t normally blend that many colours, but it turned out nicely.”

“Juliana’s company is the best,” Camz said. “And I don’t say that just because we’re friends,” she added with a smile, then glanced beyond them. “Oh, there’s Randy Kline. I have go greet him. He gave me my first job about five years ago.” She shook Caroline’s hand. “Glad you could make it, Caroline.” She nodded at Valentina. “I hope you enjoy the party.”

“Thank you.”

“See you later,” Juliana said to Camz.

The three of them stood there a bit awkwardly, and Valentina was searching for something to say when Caroline cleared her throat.

“I never did get to the bar. Let me see if I can finally find us a glass of wine.” She glanced at Juliana. “Give you two a chance to catch up.” She raised her eyebrows. “Wine?”

“No thanks,” Juliana said, holding up a beer bottle. “I’m fine.”

As soon as she was gone, Juliana took Valentina’s arm and led her away to a more private spot to talk.

“So, a painter, huh?” Valentina began. “You didn’t tell me you owned the business.”

Juliana shrugged. “I also paint. Sometimes. When they let me,” she laughed. “But my father still technically owns the business. He just spends more time at the lake fishing than he does painting. So it’s my business to run.”

“And here I envisioned you in white pants and shirt, maybe a painter’s hat too,” Valentina said with a quiet laugh.

“Did you envision me with those clothes on or off?” Juliana teased.

Valentina blushed immediately. “Actually, on,” she lied. She thought it was safer than the truth. “So, out with one of your college girls? She looks very young.”

Juliana nodded. “Yeah, she’s twenty-two, twenty-three, maybe. Grad student.”

“Wow.” So this is who Juliana normally dated. The girl was more than ten years younger than Valentina. Juliana leaned closer, her gaze holding Valentina’s.

“Yes, she’s a twenty-something college student. You’re a thirty-five-year-old woman.”

Valentina shook her head. “If that’s supposed to be a compliment, it’s not very flattering,” she said.

“Of course it’s a compliment,” Juliana said. “And you should be flattered. I’ve seen you both naked.”

Again, a stab of jealousy hit. “Yes, I suppose you are sleeping with her. Who wouldn’t?”

“I never said I was sleeping with her. I just said I’ve seen her naked.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “There are a number of ways to do that, you know. Skinny-dipping, for instance.”

At that, Valentina laughed. “Skinny-dipping is still a favourite pastime, I see.”

Juliana’s smiled faded slightly. “So? You and Caroline Joseph. Is it serious?”

Valentina shook her head. “No. Just the third date.”

Juliana’s smile returned. “Third date, huh? That’s the sex date, right?”

Valentina frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You know, the first, you get to know each other. The second, a little kissing, just to test the waters. And third? Dive right in.”

“Is that your dating philosophy?”

“No, I don’t really follow that outline.”

“No, I don’t suppose you do,” Valentina said. “But I enjoy her company. I don’t know what’s going to come of it.” Was that a lie? Did she enjoy Caroline’s company?

“Well, she’s practically a celebrity,” Juliana said. “I see her commercials all the time. In fact...”

But Juliana was cut off as Caroline returned with two wine glasses and a bottle of beer. She handed the beer to Juliana.

“I thought you’d be empty by now.”

“Thank you. I am.” Juliana glanced around her. “I guess I should go rescue Staci. I left her with a couple of builders. All they were doing was staring at her breasts.” She held her hand out to Caroline. “Great to meet you finally. Glad my guys did a nice job on your house.”

“Yes, thank you. They did.”

Juliana turned to her, meeting her eyes briefly. “Valentina, good to see you again. Take care.”

Valentina nodded, hating the formality between them, wondering if this was the last she would see of Juliana. But there was nothing she could do. Not with Caroline standing there looking at her expectantly. So she offered her hand to Juliana, relishing the quick touch of her fingers, the gentle squeeze.

“You too,” she said and even managed a slight smile. And then Juliana was gone, off to find Staci and her breasts. _God, I hate my life._

“She was nice,” Caroline offered. “Cute.”

“Yes.”

“Did you get a look at her date? Wow.”

Yes, wow indeed. But she intentionally kept her gaze away from Juliana after that, instead following Caroline around like a puppy, meeting more people than she could possibly remember names and stopping off not once, but twice at the buffet table. After her fourth glass of wine, she decided she’d had enough, especially when she found her arm linked with Caroline’s. She was sending a signal for something she wasn’t sure she was ready for or even wanted.

But as they were leaving, she spied Juliana and her date, and her eyes were drawn to the fingers that were playing on Juliana’s arm, fingers that seemed to be dancing on her skin. She turned away quickly, letting Caroline take her hand. So the third date was the sex date, huh? Well, why not?

Of course, by the time they got to her house, she nearly talked herself out of it, even though Caroline’s hand had been resting on, and rubbing, her thigh during the whole drive.

“May I come in?” Caroline asked suggestively.

Valentina hesitated, _Oh, God_ , then nodded. “Yes. Come in.”

She supposed she’d had just enough wine to numb her senses, but not enough to totally disengage from what she was doing. Caroline’s kiss was gentle at first, then deepened. Valentina tried to feel something, she really did. But she found herself going through the motions, touching Caroline without really thinking, feeling disjointed. They undressed slowly and she was surprised that Caroline actually took the time to fold her clothes neatly. God, with Juliana, they had ripped their clothes off and tossed them down without thought. And with thoughts of Juliana came thoughts of the young blonde. Was Juliana with her right now? Was she touching her?

“You have a fantastic body,” Caroline murmured as her hand touched her breast lightly. “Do you run?”

Valentina shook her head, “I swim.”

Caroline pulled her close, their naked bodies touching for the first time. “I have a pool, but I don’t really like to swim,” she said as she trailed kisses along her neck. “Maybe you can change that.”

 _Oh, God, what am I doing_ , she thought as Caroline lowered her head, her tongue raking across her nipple. But it was too late to back out now. She let Caroline guide her to the bed, praying arousal would come. She squeezed her eyes shut, picturing another woman touching her, another woman’s mouth at her breasts. Only then did she open to Caroline, only then did she feel her pulse race. But no matter how much she wanted to pretend, it still wasn’t Juliana touching her, it wasn’t Juliana making love to her. And when Caroline reached orgasm, Valentina was still so far away. She did something she swore she would never do. She faked her climax. Caroline seemed pleased with herself and gathered Valentina closer even though all Valentina wanted to do was to pull out of her arms and put an end to the evening. To her horror, Caroline fell asleep and Valentina let out a heavy sigh, her eyes glued to the ceiling, hating herself at that moment. She had a passionate ache for someone and it wasn’t Caroline.

_God, I hate my life._


	26. Chapter 26

"Not tonight," Juliana said as Staci tried to pull her inside her apartment. She gently untangled herself from the other woman, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Staci had made it perfectly clear she wanted to have sex.

"What's wrong? I thought you had a good time the other night?"

"Oh, I did. It was great," she said. "But I have to help a friend out very early in the morning." Then she rubbed her temple. "And I have a bit of a headache," she added, hoping she sounded convincing.

"That's not fair, Juliana. I sat through your boring party for nothing then."

"Boring? You got free dinner and booze," she said.

"Like I couldn't get that anytime I wanted," Staci said with a toss of her blonde hair. "If you're not interested, I'll just go to the bar then."

Juliana didn't know if she was saying that hoping to get a jealous reaction or what, and frankly, she didn't care.

"Great. But be careful. You've been drinking."

"Yes. I've been drinking and I want to have sex," Staci said, rubbing her hand up Juliana's chest.

Juliana stopped her movements before she reached her breast. "I'm sorry. But I need to go."

"Fine." Staci closed her door and locked it. "I'm going out."

Juliana stepped aside as Staci brushed past her and headed to her car. Juliana shook her head as she stood there by Staci's apartment, watching as she sped away. She blew out her breath, wondering if she should have just taken her to bed and gotten it over with.

But no. It wasn't Staci she wanted. It wasn't this twenty-something college girl she wanted to be with.

She headed toward her Jeep, trying not to think about Valentina with Caroline Joseph. Were they in bed now? Were they touching? Were Caroline's hands on her body, on her breasts?

Images of her and Valentina came flooding back. It felt like only yesterday that they were down at the coast... playing, laughing, making love. She remembered the feel of Valentina's skin. She remembered how dark Valentina's blue eyes got when she entered her. She remembered how it felt to have Valentina's nipple in her mouth, the taste of her, and God, the sound she made as she climaxed. She remembered it all like it was yesterday.

And now here they were. What were the chances that they would run into each other? She had convinced herself that she would never see Valentina again. She had tried twice more to get Tess to give up her information, but each time, Tess had refused. Juliana had finally accepted it. Valentina would be a memory, nothing more. But here she was, living in Austin. And dating Caroline Joseph. Caroline was an attorney. She was a professional woman. A very successful professional woman, judging by the home she'd had custom built. She was someone who Valentina had professed was exactly her type. Juliana couldn't even begin to compete with Caroline Joseph.

She needed to just let it go. Valentina hadn't given her any indication that she wanted to see her again. In fact, it was almost like Valentina had gone out of her way to avoid her at the party. Yeah, she would let it go. After all, Valentina wasn't her type. No, Staci was her type. Staci, the young college student who wanted to have sex with her. Staci, the one who had run off to the bar because Juliana didn't want to have sex with her.

What is wrong with you?


	27. Chapter 27

"Hello? Earth to Valentina."

Valentina turned away from the window, staring blankly at Renata.

"I said, do you want to have lunch?"

Valentina frowned. "Us?"

"Yes."

"You've worked for me for over eight years, Renata. We've never had lunch together," she said.

"I know. You normally have lunch dates. Or when Mayela was still around, you met her quite often." Renata sat down. "You just look like you could use a friendly ear."

Valentina smiled. "Thank you. That's sweet of you." Ever since she'd cut Mayela out of her life, after her affair with Claudia, Valentina no longer had that one close friend she could talk to. She had friends, of course, but none that she could possibly share what was going on in her head right now. Was it wise to share it with Renata, a woman who worked for her? Renata was a happily married woman with two kids. They had absolutely nothing in common other than work... and Renata's lesbian cousin, Emmy. In the last year, yes, Renata had become a friend.

"I slept with her."

Renata's eyes widened only slightly. "I assume you mean Caroline."

"Yes." Valentina buried her head in her hands. "It was awful."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Oh, God. I'm a horrible person." She looked at Renata. "Remember the woman I met at the coast?"

"You mean the stranger you had sex with?"

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Yes, that one." She rested her elbows on her desk. "She was at the party."

Renata leaned back, surprise showing on her face. "Here? In Austin?"

Valentina nodded. "Seems she lives here. Small world, huh?"

"Oh, my God! Did she recognise you with your clothes on?"

"Of course she recognised me," Valentina snapped. "Oh. You were teasing," she said as Renata's face broke into an enormous grin.

"Yes, I was teasing." She leaned forward again. "So she was at the same party? What are the odds?"

"I know. The house Caroline built, Juliana's company had worked on the custom paint or something." Valentina shook her head. "I couldn't believe it. I mean, I thought I would never see her again. And I run into her at a party," she said with a laugh. Her smile faded quickly. "And then I slept with Caroline."

"Well, it's been many years since I dated, but third date? I guess that's normal. Right? I mean, it's not like you just met her at the pool and then ran off to her room or something."

"You really need some practice with this friendly ear thing," Valentina said with a wave of her hand. "Sarcastic comments should be kept to yourself."

Renata laughed. "I'm sorry. So you slept with Caroline. Go on," Renata encouraged.

"I didn't even want to sleep with her."

"Then why did you?"

"Because of blonde Staci with her big breasts."

"Okay, I'm not even going to pretend to understand lesbian dating, but you completely lost me with that one," Renata said.

"Staci was Juliana's date. A pretty, young college student with enormous breasts," she explained. "Young. Really, really young. Like twenty-two. And really, really pretty." She sighed. "And I felt old and unattractive."

"And Caroline made you feel young and pretty?"

"Yes. Only she wasn't the one I wanted to be with. And I wasn't... aroused," she said quietly, embarrassed to be discussing this with Renata. "And... so... I faked it." She winced.

Renata's laughter rang out. "You think you're the first woman to ever fake an orgasm?"

"You're missing the point Renata! We slept together. She stayed the night. Do you have any idea how awkward it was the next morning?"

"She stayed the night?" Renata asked surprised.

"Yes. And now that we've slept together, the next time she asks me out, she'll think it's a given that we'll have sex again." Valentina pinched the bridge of her nose, not surprised by the headache that was forming.

"So don't go out with her again," Renata suggested.

"Then she'll think that the only reason I was dating her is because her name is Caroline Joseph. And once we had sex, my mission was completed. Like that was all I wanted, which is so far from the truth."

Renata shook her head. "I don't follow your reasoning."

But Valentina's thoughts went elsewhere. She had been dreading Caroline's call. In fact, she cringed every time her phone rang. Yet, it had been four days and she'd not heard from her. Oh my God. Maybe that was all Caroline wanted. They had sex, so now she could move on to her next conquest.

"She hasn't called me."

Renata frowned.

"Caroline. She hasn't called." Valentina smiled with relief. "Maybe she won't. Maybe all she wanted was to sleep with me. And she did. So now she's going to, you know, move on."

"Well, if that makes you feel better, go with it." Renata stood. "So? You're good?"

Valentina laughed. "Yes. Thank you for being a friendly ear."

But her smile faded as soon as Renata left her office. She spun around in her chair, facing the window again, wondering how she was going to shake herself out of the depression she seemed to be in. Here she was, dating a woman ten years older than she was. And Juliana was dating someone ten years younger. Why did that bother her so much? She should be happy with Caroline. She was someone from her own circle. She fit in nicely with her friends. Valentina blew out her breath. Caroline also didn't come close to rocking her world.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Yes, depression, indeed. She needed a change.

She spun her chair around again, her gaze traveling over the dull, grey walls, the colour matching her mood of late. She needed a change. Maybe some fresh paint, a bright colour, would do the trick. A slow smile formed. She wondered if Valdés Painting Pros did offices. She wondered if she'd have the nerve to call them.

* * *

"Juliana? I got a request for a quote."

Juliana looked up from her computer, wondering why Laura would feel the need to mention this her. They got requests for quotes all the time. "And?"

"They asked for you. Do you want me to just send Chris out?"

"Yeah, that's fine," she said, going back to her spreadsheet. "Who was it?" she called after her.

Laura walked back to her open door, looking at a piece of paper in her hand. "Carvajal and Associates, CPA. They're over on Balcones."

Juliana shrugged. It didn't ring a bell. "Don't know them. Someone must have given him my name."

"It was a her. Valentina Carvajal," Laura said.

Juliana stared at her in surprise. "Valentina?"

"Yes. Why? Does the name ring a bell now?"

Juliana grinned. Oh, yeah, bells were definitely going off now. She held her hand out for the piece of paper. "I'll do it." She stared at the information on the page, hardly believing that Valentina had reached out to her. Juliana had all but convinced herself that meeting her at the party had been an anomaly. "But do me a favour," she said. "Call her back. Schedule it for tomorrow, around eleven."

"Sure thing."

Juliana saved the spreadsheet she'd been working on and closed up her laptop. She had shopping to do.


	28. Chapter 28

Valentina couldn’t even begin to think about work as she stared at the clock, watching as it inched closer and closer to eleven. She couldn’t believe how nervous she was. Would Juliana even show up? The lady who had answered the phone told her that Juliana didn’t normally do bids.

She had actually come close to calling her back and cancelling the whole thing. How silly was it that she had to go to these lengths just to see Juliana? Why couldn’t she have done something normal like call her up and ask her to lunch?

_No, let’s get the office painted instead._

Well, it was too late now. Seven more minutes. She stood, pacing slowly across her floor, pausing each time to glance out the window, then retracing her steps again. She knew it would be an enormous disappointment if Juliana didn’t show. But somehow, she knew she would. She literally jumped when her phone buzzed. She took a deep breath, then walked over, punching the intercom button.

“Yes, Renata.”

“There’s a... a painter here. Said you called for a quote?”

“Yes. I forgot to mention it to you,” she lied. “I want to repaint all the offices.”

“Shall I send her in?”

_Her? Thank God._

“Yes, please.”

Any nervousness she felt disappeared the moment Juliana stepped into her office. Valentina covered her mouth to try to hide her smile, but she couldn’t keep her laughter in. Juliana was decked out, head to toe, in white, including a cute painter’s hat. Juliana’s smiling eyes met hers, and they shared a quick laugh.

“As requested,” Juliana said with an exaggerated bow. “In case, you know, you have fantasies, I wanted you to see what I really looked like in painter’s garb.”

“Oh, my God. You look adorable Juls,” the words were out before Valentina could stop them.

“And for my fantasies, I now know what you look like in your fancy work outfit.” Juliana’s gaze slid over her slowly. “However, I much prefer your bikini.”

Valentina smiled broader. She just barely resisted closing her door and leaving them completely alone.

“How are you?”

“Great. Pretty surprised to get a request for a quote, though,” Juliana said. “Or did you just want to see me?”

“Both,” Valentina said honestly as she sat, motioning for Juliana to do the same. “We didn’t really have much of a chance to chat the other night.”

“No, we didn’t. I still can’t believe you were there.” Juliana’s expression turned serious. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“I know.” She folded her hands together, smiling as Juliana held her gaze. “So? You... you and... what was her name? Staci? Have you been dating long?”

“We’ve been out a few times,” Juliana said evasively. “And your third date with Caroline Joseph? I trust you had a good time?”

Valentina felt herself blushing. “It was... okay,” she said.

“Just okay?”

Valentina shook her head. “I’m not going to discuss Caroline Joseph with you. Besides, I haven’t spoken with her since then.”

“No? That’s odd. I haven’t spoken with Staci since then either,” Juliana said with a quick smile. Juliana rested her ankle across her knee, her gaze locked on Valentina’s. “So, you really want to paint your office? Or do you want to get out of here, maybe grab some lunch?”

Valentina laughed. “In that outfit?”

Juliana pulled at her white shirt. “I guess it’s a little much, huh?”

“But cute. And yes, I really want my office painted. We have four offices as well as the reception area and also a small break room.”

Juliana nodded. “Colours?”

“I don’t have anything in mind. I’d like each of my staff to pick out their own office colour. Within reason, of course.” She paused. “Do you normally do places like this?” she asked with a wave at her walls. “Or is it mostly homes?”

“Mostly homes, but not exclusively,” Juliana said. “We can do this for you.” She grinned. “I’ll give you a good price.”

“I’d appreciate that,” she said. She stood. “Let me show you around. Then maybe we can discuss lunch.”

“Great. Let’s get started.”

But Valentina’s phone rang before they could walk out, and she punched the intercom without thinking.

“Yes?”

“Caroline Joseph is here,” Renata said. “Should I send her in?”

 _Oh, God!_ Valentina’s eyes flew to Juliana, noting the disappointment she saw there.

“I’m sorry,” she nearly whispered.

Juliana shrugged. “No worries.”

“Valentina?”

Valentina turned back to the phone. “Yes, Renata, send her in.” She looked at Juliana. “I didn’t...”

But she had no time to explain anything. Caroline was there, walking into her office with a smile on her face. She stopped up short when she saw Juliana.

“Oh. I didn’t know you had company,” Caroline said.

Valentina was at a loss for words. Thankfully, Juliana was not. She immediately stuck her hand out.

“We met the other night at the party,” Juliana said. “Valdés Painting Pros. Just giving a quote.”

“Of course. I thought you looked familiar,” Caroline said. She turned to Valentina. “I guess this is a bad time then. I was hoping to surprise you and steal you away for lunch.”

“Well...”

“I can do the walkthrough without you,” Juliana offered. “I can leave the quote with your secretary.”

“Oh. Well...”

“Great,” Caroline said. “If we leave now, we can beat the lunch crowd. There’s a little Italian place I’ve been dying to try.”

Valentina looked helplessly at Juliana, but Juliana nodded.

“Sure. Go on. I’ll be fine.”

Their eyes met for a brief, intense moment. Valentina wanted so badly to tell Caroline no, that she wouldn’t have lunch with her. But Juliana looked away and Caroline took her by the hand and she simply followed her out the door. Why must things be so complicated? How could a simple plan to get Juliana to come over, to spend a little time with her, alone, go so wrong? She hadn’t heard from Caroline in five days. What were the odds that she would pick that day to pop over and surprise her? Well, apparently, the odds were very good.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called you,” Caroline said. “I’ve been swamped this week.”

“It’s okay,” Valentina said. She glanced at Renata. “Lunch.”

“Sure. What should I do with the painter?”

“Juliana’s going to give us a quote,” she said. “Pick a colour.”

Renata’s eyebrows shot up. “Juliana?”

“Yes.”

Valentina nodded slightly at Renata’s unasked question. Yes, the same Juliana who had charmed and flirted her way into Valentina’s bed early that summer. Well, technically it had been Juliana’s bed, but only because they had been in a hurry and it had been closer. She smiled quickly as Renata shook her head slowly, as if scolding her.

Her smile faded, however, when Caroline led her outside into the sunshine. It was hot and humid and her mood had soured. Caroline’s sleek, black Mercedes waited and she held the door open for Valentina. She slid onto the leather seats with a heavy sigh, taking a glance back toward her office, wishing she was still inside... with Juliana.

* * *

Juliana pretended to be measuring the wall space when all she was doing was spying at the things in Valentina’s office, trying to gain a little more insight into the woman. There didn’t appear to be much here that was personal, she noted. She glanced over her shoulder, finding no one watching. She knew she shouldn’t be snooping, but she couldn’t help herself. One more glance behind her, then she pulled the centre drawer open on Valentina’s desk. Something caught her attention as she was about to close it again.

A sand dollar.

It was placed carefully on a tissue, away from an assortment of pens and pencils. She reached out, touching it lightly, remembering the morning she’d given it to Valentina.

_She kept it._

Juliana slowly closed the drawer, feeling her chest tighten a bit. They’d watched the full moon, then had fallen asleep on the beach. The next morning, after the sunrise, she’d spotted the sand dollar as they were walking back. Over the years, Juliana had found hundreds of them and no longer even looked for them anymore. But that morning, for some reason, she’d been drawn to it. And she’d handed it to Valentina, not knowing whether she cared for such things or not.

But she kept it. Maybe she wanted a reminder of her vacation. Juliana slowly smiled.

_And maybe she wanted a reminder of me._

“Excuse me.”

Juliana jumped and held a hand to her chest. She hoped she didn’t have a guilty look on her face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, it’s okay. I was... I was mentally calculating the wall space, numbers running through my head,” she said. “Valentina... Ms. Carvajal... said she wanted to paint all the offices.”

“Yes, I’ve told the others. Would you like me to show you around?”

“Yes, thank you. You’re Renata, right?”

“Right.”

Juliana bit her lip, wondering how much information Renata would be willing to share. She shouldn’t be prying, but, oh well.

“So... Caroline Joseph. She’s practically a celebrity, huh?”

“You think so?”

“Well, she’s on TV,” Juliana said.

Renata snorted. “She’s an ambulance chaser, as Valentina likes to say.”

Juliana laughed. “She said that?”

“You didn’t hear it from me.”

“And does she come over here often? You know, for lunch?”

Renata shook her head. “First time.” Then she stopped. “Are you fishing for information?”

“Is it obvious?”

Renata looked her over, slowly nodding. “Maybe we should stick to painting. What do you say?”

Juliana shrugged. “If we must.”


	29. Chapter 29

“A blind date? Are you kidding me Fer?”

Fer held her hands up. “It was Camilla’s idea, I swear.”

Juliana narrowed her eyes at her friend, trying to tell if she was lying or not. “Who is it?”

“You know her friend Francis, right? Well, it’s someone she works with. Her name is Laura, she’s originally from California, that’s all I know.”

Juliana shook her head. “I don’t want to go on a blind date. I can get my own dates, thank you very much.”

“I told her you’d be pissed.”

“What the hell was she thinking?” Juliana motioned to Josie at the bar, signalling for two beers.

“She was thinking that you’ve been moping around, that’s what.”

“I haven’t been moping around,” Juliana insisted. “I just haven’t been in the mood to go out.”

“Why don’t you just call her up and ask her out?”

Juliana didn’t pretend not to know who Fer was talking about. They had killed two bottles of wine the other night when she told them all about Valentina.

“Because she’s dating Caroline Joseph, that’s why. I’m not exactly in the same league,” she said. “Besides, she’s not even my type.”

“Here you are, ladies,” Josie said, bringing them each a frosty mug of draft beer. “Will Camz be joining you?”

“Not if she knows what’s good for her,” Juliana murmured.

Fer laughed. “Camz will be here a little later. We’ll wait for her before ordering.” When Josie left, Fer leaned closer. “Quit scowling,” she teased. “So why is she not your type?”

“She’s just not. And I’m certainly not hers. I think Caroline Joseph... and women like her, are more her type.”

“She called you,” Fer reminded her.

“She wanted her office painted.”

“Then why did she ask for you specifically to give the quote?”

“Because she knows me.” Juliana shrugged. “Of course, she did say I looked cute in my painter’s outfit.”

Fer laughed. “I can’t believe you did that. Did you take a picture?”

“No.” Juliana smiled. “I was kinda cute, though.” Then she scowled again. “And then Caroline shows up to take her to lunch. I haven’t spoken to her since.” She stared at Fer. “A blind date,” she muttered. “Really?”

“Did I mention Laura is forty-two?”

Juliana spit her beer out. “That’s older than you! My last date was twenty-two!”

“Exactly!”

“Your point?”

“Camz thought that since you were obviously infatuated with Valentina, who is older, that you needed to start dating more mature women.”

“Older?” Juliana shook her head. “First of all, I’m not infatuated with her. And I wouldn’t really say she’s older. It’s only five years.” Juliana held her hand up to Fer. “Can you just stop. I don’t want to talk about Valentina and I certainly don’t want to talk about a blind date!”

Fer leaned forward. “Too late,” she whispered, motioning behind Juliana.

Juliana turned her head slowly, finding Camz smiling at her. And beside Camz stood a woman, a mature woman, dressed in a business suit. Juliana slid her gaze back to Fer.

“I’m going to kill her!”

* * *

After the impromptu lunch date with Caroline, Valentina had managed to avoid dinner with her for the last week, coming up with an excuse both times Caroline asked. She wasn’t certain why she was avoiding her other than she didn’t want another interrogation like she’d had at lunch. She felt like Caroline had her on trial as she practically grilled her about her relationship with Juliana. She tried to keep it as vague as possible, but she could tell Caroline assumed they had slept together. Frankly, she didn’t really care one way or the other.

But now here she was, sipping expensive wine, mingling with Caroline’s other guests as she hosted a party to show off her new home. Valentina knew quite a few of the guests, they were women from their circle. There was one in particular that she was curious about: Elizabeth Calhoun. Watching Elizabeth and Caroline interact told her that they were more than friends. Whether that was a recent event or if they were old friends, Valentina didn’t know. However, Caroline never once attempted to hide it. That would have surprised her if not for the fact that Caroline was paying her as much attention as she was Elizabeth. Which led her to believe that Caroline was dating both of them.

_Great._

She shouldn’t have been surprised, though. Others had told her that Caroline was a bit of a player. It really hadn’t concerned her at the time, considering she and Caroline had no future whatsoever. But there were a few of her friends who gave her sympathetic looks whenever Caroline and Elizabeth would chat. Of course, those same friends raised eyebrows whenever Caroline came her way, making sure her wineglass was full and leaning in close to talk to her.

She realised then that this was Caroline’s game. As Juliana had said, she was practically a celebrity. Well, not really, but Caroline sure played the part. She was attractive. She was successful. And she could have anyone she wanted.

Valentina shook her head in disgust. _And I slept with her because I was jealous that Juliana was with Staci and her huge breasts._

She wondered how rude it would be if she slipped away early, without an explanation, without a proper goodbye. She also wondered if she cared.


	30. Chapter 30

Juliana drove slowly down the street, once again thinking that this was a very bad idea. She told herself that she wasn't going to be surprised if there was a car parked in Valentina's driveway. It would be Caroline. She also told herself that she wouldn't be jealous. Valentina and Caroline were dating. They were sleeping together. Disgusting to think about, sure, but it was what it was. But as she crept nearer, another thought struck her.

_She was a stalker._

She shook her head. No. Not really. She was just driving by. Nothing more. She ignored the fact that she had searched for Valentina's address. Honestly, once she knew her full name and her place of business, it wasn't really that hard.

"God, you are a stalker," she murmured as she peered through the windshield, pleased that there wasn't a car parked in the driveway. Of course it was getting late. Maybe Valentina was already in bed. Or maybe not, there was a light on downstairs.

She drove past her house again, trying to convince herself that this was a really bad idea and she should just go home. But as she circled around the block once more, she found herself pulling into Valentina's driveway. She feared if she drove around the block one more time, someone would call the cops.

Juliana couldn't believe how nervous she was as she stood at her front door. She stared at the doorbell for the longest time, then finally reached out and pushed it. She heard the faint chime from inside. Minutes seemed to pass instead of seconds before she heard movement. Then the door opened and Valentina stood there, a surprised, yet questioning look on her face.

Juliana grinned. "Good. You're up." She tapped her wrist as if wearing a watch. "We need to hurry."

"What? No," Valentina said, shaking her head. "I'm working."

"Working? It's too late to be working," she said. "Come with me."

Valentina raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Dare I ask where to?"

"Mount Bonnell," she said. "And we need to hurry."

"Mount Bonnell? No. Like you said, it's late. I have to go into the office tomorrow."

"Valentina, it's almost time. The midnight moon," she said.

A soft smile lit Valentina's face. "A full moon? Tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight." Juliana motioned to her Jeep. "Come on. It'll be fun."

Valentina arched her eyebrow again. "It's almost nine thirty."

"Yeah, well, we'll have to pretend it's midnight. There's a curfew. The park closes at ten."

Valentina took a deep breath while chewing on her lower lip, Juliana could see the indecision in her eyes. Juliana gave what she hoped was a very charming smile. Apparently, it was because Valentina finally nodded.

"Okay. I'll go with you to Mount Bonnell. At nine thirty. At night." She paused. "We're not going to get mugged, are we?"

Juliana laughed. "What is it with you and mugging? There'll just be people like us, watching the moon." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Some may be kissing and stuff like that, but we'll avoid them."

Valentina shook her head with a smile. "Why do I let you talk me into things like this?"

"Because I'm charming and irresistible," she said. "And you don't really want to be sitting in there working, do you?" Then her eyes widened. "Unless you're not alone. Oh, God, you don't have company, do you?"

"Relax. No, I don't have company."

"Good. I thought maybe Caroline was waiting for you in your bed or something."

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Would I really agree to go to Mount Bonnell with you if that was the case?"

Juliana grinned. "Well, personally, that would be my choice."

Valentina just shook her head. She stepped back, motioning at herself. "Do I need to change?"

"No, no. You're perfect." She pointed at her bare feet. "Put some shoes on. Hiking boots if you have them."

"Yeah, okay," Valentina murmured as she turned back into her house.

Juliana took that as an invitation to go inside herself, although she wasn't quite brazen enough to go snooping around. The house was nice. A little on the formal side, but nice. She followed the light and ended up in the doorway to what she assumed was Valentina's office.

"Are you snooping?"

Juliana turned around and shrugged. "Yeah."

"My office."

"I figured," she said with a smile. "Ready?"

"Ready."

They drove in silence down MoPac, the traffic fairly light this evening. Juliana glanced at Valentina several times, but Valentina kept her gaze straight ahead.

"You've been to Mount Bonnell before, right?"

Valentina shook her head. "No. Never."

"Really? I thought everyone goes at least once," she said. "There are nice views. It overlooks the river... Lake Austin and the million-dollar homes that line it," she added.

Valentina finally turned to her. "The other day... I'm sorry that Caroline showed up. I had no idea."

"It's okay," Juliana said. "You got my quote?"

"Yes, and I accept."

"Great. I'll get a team over as soon as possible."

"Will you come?"

Juliana exited off MoPac, slowing as she came to the traffic lights. "They really don't like to let me paint," she said with a quick laugh. "But I guess I could supervise."

She took 35th Street to Mount Bonnell Road and drove slowly up the hill. She was surprised to find quite a few cars still there. They wouldn't have much time before curfew but long enough to get to the top.

Valentina stood at the base, staring at the endless steps that went straight up. She turned to Juliana. "Really?"

Juliana ginned. "One hundred steps," she laughed. "But let's go around to the side and hike up. It's not just as strenuous."

The lights in the parking area chased some of the shadows away, but she was prepared. She pulled a small flashlight from her back pocket, then took Valentina's hand.

"Don't want you to trip on a rock," she said. She was pleased that Valentina didn't pull away.

They didn't speak as they hiked up the trail. They heard voices occasionally as other people had pulled off the trail to the viewpoints... or to steal a kiss or two. When they got to the top, there were three other couples there, two were looking out over the river, the other one was reading the historical marker. Juliana led them away to the other side. She turned in a circle, finding the moon. It wasn't yet high overhead, but it was still quite impressive as it hovered over the city.

"Ten minutes until curfew," she said quietly. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Valentina stared at the moon for a long moment, then turned to her. Their eyes held and Valentina squeezed her hand.

"Very."

Juliana nodded. "Yeah. Very."

She was fairly certain they were no longer talking about the moon. But then Valentina dropped her hand and turned back to gaze at the moon and the moment passed. After a few minutes, Juliana tugged her over to the edge, pointing out the river, and Lake Austin below them.

"The 360 Bridge is over there. Pennybacker Bridge," she said. "It's got a great viewpoint too." She turned to Valentina. "Maybe I'll take you sometime."

Valentina smiled. "That would be nice."

Juliana looked away for a second, then back. "Listen, you and Caroline, is that like... really serious?"

Valentina shook her head. "I found out she wanted me to be part of a small harem of women she dated. That's not my thing." She turned her gaze back to the river. "Besides, I'm not... really attracted to her."

"No?" Juliana tried to keep the smile off her face and thought she did a pretty good job. "Well, I was thinking. Down at the coast, we didn't exactly get to know each other very well, seeing as how we didn't even share our last names or where we lived," she said.

Valentina laughed. "I thought you were a stalker!"

"Oh, I am," Juliana said with a smile. "I found your house, didn't I?"

"That's true."

"Anyway, I thought maybe we could... go out. You know, do things together. No hanky-panky," she said quickly. "Just... get to know each other."

Valentina held her stare. "Like a platonic relationship?"

Juliana leaned closer. "Honey, I can assure you, platonic is not in my vocabulary when it comes to you." She cleared her throat and smiled. "I just thought, you know, since I'm not your type and you're not my type... maybe we don't know enough about each other to really say we're not the right type."

Valentina nodded. "Okay. But what about... Staci? Will she mind if we go out and do things together?"

"Actually, I haven't seen Staci since that night at the party." She wasn't sure how much to tell Valentina, but she decided she wouldn't lie. "She wanted to have sex and I wasn't really in the mood." She held Valentina's gaze in the moonlight. "Not with her, anyway," she added quietly. She was surprised by the sad look she saw in Valentina's eyes. She thought she would have been happy about her confession.

"I... I slept with Caroline that night," Valentina said. "Mainly because... well, because I saw you there with Staci and I... I..." Valentina paused, looked away and said no more, instead she turned her back to Juliana and looked back toward the city.

 _Damn._ Juliana wasn't really ready for the stab of jealousy she felt. She was about to reach for Valentina, when she heard the curfew announcement from below and knew they had to leave. Valentina must have heard it too because she turned again but avoided looking at Juliana. Juliana wasn't sure what Valentina expected her to say. She switched the flashlight back on and waited. Valentina shook her head, indicating she didn't want to talk. Instead, they remained silent on the way down.

Back in the Jeep, they sat quietly, neither speaking. When Juliana went to start it, Valentina stopped her with a light touch on her arm.

"Thank you for coming by the house tonight," she said. "Since the other day at the office, I've wanted to call you, but I really didn't know what to say."

"It doesn't have to be this hard, Val."

Valentina looked away. "I feel like my world is all messed up."

Juliana took her hand and held it between her own. "Messed up? Why?"

"Nothing seems... right anymore," Valentina said. "I'm surrounded by people I know, doing things I've always done, yet I feel so... so lonely."

Juliana stared into her eyes, wondering what she was trying to say.

"Even now?" she asked quietly.

Valentina gave her a half smile. "No. Not now. That's why everything feels all messed up. I hardly know you, yet..." her voice trailed off.

"Well, you will get to know me." She loosened her grip on Valentina's hand, bringing it to her lips for a light kiss. "And just so you know, I kinda feel a little messed up too. I mean, I've turned into a stalker," she said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "I circled your block three times before I worked up the nerve to stop at your house."

Valentina gave her a sweet smile. "I'm glad you stopped. A new adventure. Mount Bonnell."

"And another full moon to add to your list."

"It was pretty. But I think I liked it better down at the coast."

Juliana gave her a flirty grin. "I liked a lot of things better down at the coast."


	31. Chapter 31

Valentina stood back in shock watching as Juliana helped shove her office furniture into the middle of the room. She wasn't sure what she expected, but seeing Juliana dressed, like the rest of the crew, in shorts and a T-shirt, brought back memories from their time on the coast. Her eyes were glued to the brunette as she worked. While all the other crew members wore shoes, Juliana wore the sandals Valentina remembered from their walks on the beach. She stepped back as one of the guys flung out a plastic cover, tossing it over her furniture.

"It'll all be back in place tomorrow," Juliana promised. "Now you have to leave. I'm the only supervisor allowed on this project."

"Okay. But I'll be right out there if you need me."

"Oh, I'll need you, I'm certain of that," Juliana said, flashing her the flirty smile that Valentina loved.

Valentina returned her smile, then went out to sit in the reception area. It had been five days since their Mount Bonnell adventure and the weekend had come and gone. It was a long, lonely weekend; she kept hoping Juliana would show up. She made a mental note to give Juliana her phone number. Friends did that, right?

She had replayed their conversation from that night over and over. Juliana wanted to get to know her. No hanky-panky. Staci was apparently out of the picture. And God, surely Caroline was as well. Valentina had only gotten an email from her, saying she was sorry she didn't get to spend much time with her at her house party. Apparently, Caroline didn't realise that Valentina had intentionally slipped away early without saying goodbye. It didn't matter. Even if Caroline called and asked her to dinner, Valentina would decline. She now knew enough about Caroline to realise she wasn't even someone she wanted to be friends with, let alone date.

But did she want to date Juliana? Is that what they would be doing? Getting to know each other by dating? Did no hanky-panky mean no kissing too? Valentina felt her face flush. Yes, it must. Because if they kissed, it would definitely lead to more. Just being around Juliana, looking into her smiling eyes, feeling her positive energy, Valentina felt the pull of her attraction. Being near Juliana made everything feel bright and fresh... and new. And if Juliana wanted to skip the 'getting to know you' part and jump back into a sexual relationship, Valentina wouldn't protest. But was that all she wanted out of this? Just a sexual relationship?

"Do you plan to sit out here all day?"

Valentina blinked her thoughts away as she looked at Renata. "Will it bother you?"

"Would it bother you if I sat in one of your visitor's chairs all day while you tried to work?"

"Yes. But I'm the boss," Valentina reminded her. "Besides, you're not that busy. September is the best time to do this."

"No. November would have been the best time."

"I didn't want to wait until November."

"Are you ready to talk about it yet?"

"I assume you mean Juliana," she said.

"Well, that and your sudden out-of-the-blue urge to get the office painted," Renata said.

"I felt like a change," she answered with a shrug.

"In your office or in your life?"

Valentina smiled. "Both." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "She's attractive, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. And, well, I kinda like her," Renata said. "Not at all what I imagined your vacation lover to be like."

Valentina felt herself blushing, but she laughed. "And what were you imagining?"

"Well, you said she was young and not your type, so I pictured a young skanky woman with multiple tattoos, perhaps a piercing or two."

"Oh my God!" Valentina gasped, both amused and horrified.

"But Juliana seems normal. And cute. I like her for you much more than Caroline Joseph. I don't know why you say she's not your type."

"I know. I'm not sure what my type is anymore," she said. She met Renata's eyes and smiled. "We're going to... get to know each other better."

"Oh? Like date?"

"I'm not sure. I think Juliana's idea of dating might be completely different than mine. I can't see us going to fancy restaurants."

"Or lectures?"

Valentina laughed. "Especially that. But... I like her. She makes me feel good. Inside and out."

Renata nodded. "We should all try to add people to our lives who make us happy. And I will say you do seem to be smiling a lot more lately."

"Yes. Plus, Caroline hasn't called. I hope that's over with." She stood, walking to the window. "Do you think I should invite her to lunch?"

"Caroline?"

Valentina spun around. "No. Not Caroline," she said. "Juliana."

"Well, if you're going to get to know each other better, that's a good way to start," Renata said. "Of course, you are in a suit and she is in shorts. So it's going to be hard to find common ground."

Valentina glanced at her suit and sighed. Her first job out of college had been for a large accounting firm. They had a strict dress code. Business suits only. Casual Fridays were only a slightly less formal version of business attire. When she bought the firm, she had kept the tradition, insisting that her staff do the same. But they were a small firm with mostly individual clients. Over the years, the others had adopted a more casual wardrobe, especially on Fridays. Yet she still maintained her practice of dressing in conservative business suits, even during the brutal summer months.

She knew she dressed the part because it was the image she had created for herself. But it also fit in with most of her friends, professional women like herself. Caroline, for instance, wouldn't dare be caught out in public in anything other than a business suit. The few times they had been out to dinner together, they had both been dressed as if they were heading to an important board meeting.

She turned back to the window, her gaze on the street outside, remembering when Juliana had first come to her office. She had commented on her 'fancy work outfit,' saying she preferred the bikini instead. She smiled as she pictured them back at the coast, both of them in their bikinis. She had taken Juliana's words at face value, but was there an underlying meaning? Was she saying she preferred the more casual Valentina she had met at the coast? Valentina stepped back, again looking at her dull grey business suit, her black stilettos. Was she comfortable? Of course not. It was hot and her feet hurt.

"You're frowning."

Valentina spun around, finding Juliana watching her. Juliana, in her shorts and sandals, who looked completely comfortable and at ease. She had a questioning look on her face, but Valentina shook her head.

"Just thinking."

Juliana motioned with her head back to Valentina's office. "Do you want to come and take a look? Make sure you like it before we proceed."

"Yes, okay."

The colour Valentina had picked out was a conservative cream, just enough of a change from the original drab grey. She shook her head. It was now just a dull, drab cream.

"I hate it." She turned to Juliana. "I need a change."

Juliana arched an eyebrow.

"I need a... a colour. Something fun," she said.

Juliana nodded. "Okay. The other offices all picked out some brighter colours. Two of them wanted an accent wall. Why don't we paint those first?" she suggested. "Maybe you would prefer something like that."

Valentina stared at her bare walls. "Yes." She glanced at Juliana. "I'm sorry."

"No, no. I want you to be satisfied," she said. Then that flirty grin appeared. "In everything," she added.

Valentina laughed and nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"So, I guess you want your office back, huh?"

"Just enough so I can get a little work done," she said.

"Okay. Scoot," Juliana said, waving her out of the room.

At the door, Valentina turned back to her.

"Juliana? Lunch?"

Juliana nodded. "Sure. Order pizza."

* * *

"Can you at least take your shoes off? I feel terribly underdressed."

Valentina tugged at the collar of her blouse. "We're sitting on the patio, it's in the nineties and I'm in a business suit. I feel terribly overdressed," Valentina said.

"We could have eaten inside with everyone else," Juliana offered.

"I know. But... I wanted some alone time," Valentina admitted.

"So relax. Take your shoes off."

Valentina shook her head. "I can't. My toenails aren't polished."

"So? If I recall, they weren't polished down at the coast either," she said.

"Honestly, I don't really like my nails polished. And I was on vacation. I also rarely put makeup on while I was there either," Valentina said.

Juliana put her slice of pizza down. "Valentina, it's just me here. I don't know what the rules are, but I kinda like your feet and toes the way they are." She held her foot up. "You know, mine aren't painted either."

Valentina laughed. "I can't picture you getting a pedicure."

"I actually like pedicures," she said. "I just won't let them near me with nail polish." She picked up her pizza again. "So, did you have a good weekend?"

Valentina shrugged. "It was... a break. I didn't do anything. Stayed by the pool most of the time."

"Oh? Did you go skinny-dipping?"

Valentina laughed. "No, I did not."

"You like to swim?"

"It's my only form of exercise," Valentina said as she finally kicked off her shoes. "Oh, yes, that feels better."

Juliana smiled but didn't say anything. She took a big drink from her tea but couldn't help but glance at Valentina's bare feet. She had a quick flash as she remembered those feet rubbing against her calf as they were making love. She shook the image away.

"Are you free on Saturday?"

Valentina bit into her pizza, eyebrows raised.

"Do you fancy coming to the lake?" Juliana asked. "My dad has a small weekend place there. He's got a boat. My friends Fer and Camz are going out with me." She took another slice of pizza from the box. "You met Camz at that party," she said.

Valentina nodded. "Yes, I remember her."

"So? Are you interested?"

Valentina met her gaze and smiled. "Yes. I'm interested."

"Great." She let out a relieved sigh. She'd been afraid Valentina would decline. Or worse, she feared she already had plans... with Caroline. "I'll pick you up. We'll go by Fer's place first. You'll love their house. Especially their pool. I can't wait to show it to you. It's spring-fed."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you'll love it."

Valentina picked up her phone. "Maybe we should, you know, exchange phone numbers."

Juliana laughed. "Do you often give your number to stalkers?"

"No. You'll be the first."


	32. Chapter 32

Juliana held the back gate open to Fer’s garden and pool, letting Valentina go in first.

“You’ll love them. They’re really nice,” she said.

“Will you stop worrying that I won’t like them?” Valentina said.

“I know. It’s just... they’re my best friends.” And it was important that Valentina like them.

Valentina stopped. “I’m happy to be here with you, Juls. And I’m looking forward to spending time with them. I’m sure I’ll like them just fine.”

“Well, they’re probably not like... well, not like your friends,” she said.

Valentina took her hand, smiling slightly. “Good. Then it’ll be a nice change.”

“Okay, then. I’ll stop worrying.”

Fer and Camz were sitting on the patio, the ceiling fan turning overhead. After their work during the summer on remodelling the pool house and outdoor kitchen, whenever Juliana came over, they rarely used the house at all. They stood when Juliana and Valentina approached. Fer held out her hand.

“You must be Valentina,” she said. “I’m Fernanda Montgomery. Welcome.”

“Thanks. It’s nice to meet you,” Valentina said.

“You remember Camz,” Juliana said.

“Yes. Good to see you again.”

“Glad you came, Valentina,” Camz said. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Beer? Wine cooler? Water?” Fer offered.

“I’ll have a beer,” Juliana said.

“That’s fine with me too,” Valentina said.

“Good. I’ll show you around the pool,” Camz said. “Fer and Juliana can get the drinks.”

Juliana followed Fer into the open kitchen. She took a beer from the fridge and handed Fer a wine cooler.

“No. I’ll have a beer with you,” Fer said.

“Finally giving up wine coolers?”

“I like fruity drinks, what can I say.” Fer tipped her bottle in Juliana’s direction in a silent toast before drinking. “She’s cute.”

“Yeah, she is,” Juliana said. “I’m nervous.”

“You? Why?”

“Because this is kinda like, you know, a date.”

Fer laughed. “And you’re used to twenty-something college students?”

Juliana shrugged. “I like her. A lot.”

Fer’s expression turned serious. “Like... she’s the one?”

Juliana nodded. “I think I could fall in love with her.”

Fer surprised her by pulling her into a quick hug. “Good for you.”

Juliana laughed. “God, don’t let Camz catch us hugging. We’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Too late,” Camz said behind them. “What did we miss?”

“Nothing,” Juliana said. “Girl talk.”

Camz laughed. “You two? Girl talk? That’s a first.” She turned to Valentina. “And this is the outdoor kitchen. Juliana helped with all the remodelling. In fact, she was here most weekends this summer.”

“It’s fabulous,” Valentina said. “It’s so inviting. And I’m very jealous of your pool.”

“Feel free to take a swim,” Fer offered. “I’m assuming you have your suit on under your shorts.”

“Or it’s clothing optional,” Juliana added with a wink at Valentina.

“With you around, I don’t doubt it,” Valentina said with a smile.

“Oh, Fer too,” Camz said. “She loves skinny-dipping. I’ve caught these two playing like teenagers in there before.”

“Now don’t start telling her our secrets,” Juliana said. “She might get the wrong impression.”

Juliana smiled contentedly as Valentina was absorbed into their little group with ease. The four of them sat around the patio table, chatting like old friends. She didn’t know why she was so worried that Valentina wouldn’t fit in or that Valentina wouldn’t like Fer and Camz. She seemed very comfortable, and she contributed to the conversation as much as anyone. Juliana thought it couldn’t have gone better. That is, until Camz mentioned the blind date.

“You should have seen Juliana’s face,” Camz said with a laugh. “I thought she was going to kill me.”

“Don’t think I wasn’t planning on it,” she said.

“So how many times did you go out with her?” Valentina asked, an innocent smile on her face.

“Are you kidding me? She was forty-two and acted fifty-two,” Juliana said. “She has three kids. She talked about them and her divorce most of the night. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.”

“I’m sorry,” Camz said. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Frances swore she was over her husband.” Camz turned to Valentina. “Frances’s my best friend. I told her I was looking for someone a little more mature than college age.”

“Okay.” Juliana stood up quickly. “I think we’ve just about covered everything. Let’s go to the lake.” The other three laughed at her attempt to end the conversation, and she shrugged with a smile.

“No more blind date talk, huh?” Valentina asked.

“Nope. I’m ready to hit the water.”

* * *

Valentina laughed in delight as Juliana attempted to show off on her skis. However, her second attempt at a flip failed miserably and she crashed into the lake. Fer killed the throttle on the boat and turned around, circling Juliana as she bobbed in the water.

“Show off,” Valentina said.

Juliana grinned. “You ready to try it?”

Valentina shook her head. “I can’t ski.”

“Have you ever tried?”

“No. And that’s why I know I can’t.”

“Well, I’ll have to teach you sometime,” she said. “Fer? You ready?”

“Yep.”

Fer helped Juliana back into the boat, before jumping overboard. She floated on her back as she put the skis on. Juliana towelled off, leaving her hair a tousled mess. But it was an adorable, tousled mess, Valentina noted. She turned back to Camz, not wanting to blatantly stare at Juliana in her bikini. She knew every inch of her body, and the bikini did very little to hide her favourite parts.

“I saw you looking,” Juliana said with her usual flirty smile.

Valentina grinned back at her. “There’s really no need to look. I’ve already seen it all.”

Camz laughed loudly. “Oh, Juliana. I think you’ve met your match here.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Juliana said as she got behind the wheel.

Camz leaned closer to her. “I’m so glad you came today. It’s such a nice change.”

“From her usual dates?”

Camz nodded. “We love Juliana to death. I really want her to be happy.” She glanced quickly at Juliana, who was watching Fer. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, but it seems almost like fate that you two ran into each other again at our party.”

Valentina looked at Juliana too. Was it fate? Then Juliana turned and their eyes met. It caused Valentina’s breath to catch. Only Fer giving the go-ahead from the water broke their stare. Juliana turned away, putting the boat in motion, and Valentina turned her attention to Fer as she, like Juliana, got up effortlessly on the skis.

The afternoon seemed to fly by as they alternated between skiing, swimming and playing in the water and just cruising around the lake on the boat. She and Juliana had teased, flirted and played until she was laughing with delight. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a carefree day of play. She smiled as, yes, she could remember. It was down at the coast with Juliana.

But now, after a sunset dinner at a small barbeque and goodbye hugs with Fer and Camz, Juliana was taking her back home, signalling an end to their fun-filled day.

“You tired?” Juliana asked.

“I am,” she said as she lazily rolled her head Juliana’s way. “I had a wonderful time, Juliana. Thank you for inviting me.”

“I had a great time too,” Juliana said. She glanced at her quickly. “So, you liked Fer and Camz, right?”

“Oh, I loved them,” she said. “In fact, Camz and I exchanged phone numbers.”

“You did? That’s good.”

“It was a really fun day.”

“Yeah, it was. But September is nearly over so it might be the last time we get out on the lake. In the water at least,” Juliana said. She reached across the console and found Valentina’s hand. Valentina’s fingers entwined with hers, resting their clasped hands on her thigh. It felt good.

“So that was your father’s place? Does he go there often?”

“Practically every weekend during the summer. But he lets me borrow the boat whenever I want. He just likes to sit, fish and drink beer,” she said.

Valentina turned in her seat, facing Juliana. “You never said where you lived.”

“No? Well, it’s not too far from Fer’s place, really. I live in a duplex,” Juliana said.

“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that,” she said. “What if you hate your neighbour?”

Juliana grinned. “Then I kick them out.”

“Oh. You own the duplex?”

“Yeah. There are four there. My dad built two and I built two,” Juliana said. “I never really intended on living there. I was going to buy a house somewhere. But everything I looked at just wasn’t me. I think I’m trying to find a place like Fer’s, and I don’t think that will ever happen.”

“Yes, their place is unique. Her grandfather had great vision.”

“Yeah. Luckily, they don’t mind me popping over all the time. But I try not to overstay my welcome,” Juliana said. “Then again, if I miss a few days, Camz calls me because she thinks something’s wrong.”

Juliana slowed as she turned onto Valentina’s street and Valentina sighed, knowing their time together was coming to an end. Juliana pulled into her driveway but left the Jeep running. Their hands were still touching, and Valentina squeezed Juliana’s lightly, relishing the contact. They hadn’t spent a moment alone all day, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t shared any intimate moments. They had. Even at dinner, they had sat close to each other in the small booth, their thighs brushing, their hands touching, their eyes meeting. She had hoped that their no ‘hanky-panky’ rule would be broken, but apparently not. Juliana finally pulled her hand away. Valentina missed the contact immediately.

“It... it was a great day,” Valentina said again.

“The best.”

“Yes.” She paused. “Well, I guess I should go in.”

Juliana nodded. “Yes. You should.” Their eyes met. “And you should hurry,” she added in a whisper. Valentina’s tongue came out to wet her dry lips, and Juliana’s gaze followed. “Valentina, please... you should go.”

She didn’t want to go. At least, not alone. She wanted to drag Juliana inside with her. But she was only torturing herself, and Juliana, by staying. Amazing how she could be so aroused by this woman and they had barely touched. She finally moved, taking off her seat belt at least. But instead of getting out, she leaned across the console, kissing Juliana gently on her cheek. Juliana didn’t pull away and Valentina’s mouth lingered, brushing the corner of Juliana’s mouth. She heard Juliana’s quick intake of breath, felt her own pulse spring to life.

“Do you have any idea how badly I want to make love to you?” Juliana whispered.

Valentina closed her eyes. “Absolutely,” she murmured. All she had to do was turn a fraction and their mouths would meet. A kiss would be their undoing. But this wasn’t about sex, she reminded herself. This was about getting to know each other better without sex. She nearly growled as she pulled away. “God... Juliana.”

Juliana nodded. “I know.” She gave a quick smile. “Cold shower. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Valentina laughed and opened the door. She grabbed the bag she had brought with her change of clothes, then stood beside the Jeep.

“Drive carefully, please.”

“I will. I’ll see you later.”

Valentina watched her drive away, not going inside until the Jeep’s taillights faded from sight. Yes, cold shower indeed.


	33. Chapter 33

Valentina leaned back in her office chair, her phone held casually to her ear. She was smiling uncontrollably as Juliana told her about the paint mishap from that morning. Her laughter was music to her ears.

"It could have been on the Three Stooges," Juliana said. "It was only a four-foot ladder, thankfully, but it was two gallons of paint on my head. I really need to stick with the supervising."

"Surely someone got a picture?" Valentina asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm sure it's all over Facebook by now," Juliana said with a laugh. "I'll be sure to send it to you."

"It's a shame that didn't happen when you were finishing up here. I could have seen it first-hand," she said.

They were quiet for a moment, then Juliana cleared her throat. "I should probably let you get back to work."

Valentina glanced at her laptop, knowing she had several accounts that needed her attention. None were as appealing as chatting with Juliana, however.

"I have a few more minutes," she said.

"Yeah? Long enough for me to talk dirty to you?"

"That depends on what kind of dirty," she said, smiling. "Will I need to close my door?"

"That could be fun. Phone sex."

"Doesn't that fall into the no hanky-panky rule?"

"I suppose. Whose stupid rule was that anyway?"

Valentina laughed. "That would be you."

"Yeah. What was I thinking?"

Valentina's smiled faded. "Are you ready to break it?"

"Do you want to make love to me Val?"

Valentina felt her face flush, her heartbeat increase. She took a quick breath. "Yes."

Juliana paused, but Valentina could hear her breath quicken. "We haven't really, you know, dated much."

"We spent an entire day together. That takes the place of several two and three-hour dates," she countered.

"Yeah. We could say that, couldn't we?"

Valentina heard the smile in her voice, and she smiled too. "Gets my vote."

Juliana laughed. "You're too easy."

Valentina heard Renata clear her throat behind her and spun around, wondering how long the woman had been standing there listening. _Damn_.

"Umm, I need to go," she said.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Renata is standing here tapping her foot. I think she needs me."

"I see. Okay then. Talk to you later, Val."

"Bye."

She put her phone down, then looked expectantly at Renata. Renata simply smiled at her and shook her head.

"What?"

"Your laughter was disrupting the office."

"It was not." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "She makes me laugh."

"Yes. And I have never seen you like this before. Are you in love with her?"

Valentina nearly gasped. "In love? We hardly know each other. How could I possibly be in love with her?"

"Valentina, I was here when you met Claudia, when you dated her. When you slept with her, I was here. When she moved into your home, I was here. And never once did I ever see you like this."

"Like what?"

"Smiling. Happy."

"It was... it was different with Claudia." She leaned back in her chair looking at the ceiling. "Juliana is so unlike Claudia. She's unlike anyone I've ever dated before." And she had to admit, Juliana would be so easy to fall in love with. If she dared.

* * *

Juliana hung up the phone with only one thing on her mind. Seeing Valentina. After the weekend's trip to the lake, she thought she would give Valentina some time. Time for what, she wasn't sure. They had talked on the phone every day, but it was now Wednesday and she was ready to see her. She hoped Valentina was too.

She thought maybe they could have lunch outdoors. While the expected cool front hadn't hit yet, there was very little humidity, giving the day an autumn feel, even though the temperature was approaching ninety.

Juliana felt her anticipation build as she turned the corner. She spotted Valentina's office building and slowed, parking her Jeep behind a black Mercedes that had just pulled up. She turned the engine off, shocked to find Caroline Joseph getting out.

 _Damn it_.

Well, she wasn't going to hide in the Jeep. She got out as well, and when she slammed her door, Caroline turned in her direction. Juliana flashed her a smile.

"Dang, you beat me here by a minute."

Caroline didn't appear amused. "I beat you by far more than a minute. And unless you have some painting to do, I suggest you just run along."

Juliana was shocked by her tone... and her words. They actually left her speechless. Apparently, Caroline wasn't through.

"You can't compete with me."

Juliana regained some of her composure. She gave Caroline an uninterested shrug. "Oh? I wasn't aware there was a competition."

Caroline's smile was piercing. "Which is precisely why you are going to lose." She looked Juliana over with disgust. "That's how you dress when you are trying to impress Valentina?"

Juliana looked down at her shorts and sandals. She wiggled her toes and nodded. "Yeah. It's nearly ninety degrees." It was her turn to measure Caroline. "You're in a suit and... pantyhose? Really? Do women still wear pantyhose?" She shook her head. "Anyway, I'd say I'm a lot more comfortable than you are."

Caroline's smile was condescending. "What does comfort have to do with it? It's an image. Of course, at your age, you probably don't have a clue, do you?" Her smile turned into a smirk. "As I said, you can't compete with me. I always win." She took a step toward the office, then stopped. "Goodbye," she said pointedly.

Juliana stood there as Caroline marched up the sidewalk and to the office door. She blew out her breath and turned, going back to her Jeep. She thought she'd just drive around the block a few times and wait for Valentina to get rid of her.

Exactly six minutes later, she parked again at Valentina's office, thankful the black Mercedes was gone. The encounter with Caroline had zapped some of her good humour, but now the prospect of lunch with Valentina brought it back. She was actually whistling as she walked up to the door.

Renata looked at her with surprise when she arrived. Juliana nodded at her, then motioned toward Valentina's office.

"The boss in?"

"No. She just left for lunch."

Juliana felt her heart fall to her feet. _Damn_. "Oh. I see." She paused. "With Caroline?"

Renata nodded. "Yes. It wasn't a planned date, if that's what you're thinking. Caroline just showed up. She does that sometimes."

"Yeah, I know. I actually saw her when she got here. I thought, well... I thought Valentina would decline, that's all." She gave a quick smile. "I was kinda going to ask her out to lunch myself. Guess I should have come earlier, huh?"

"Maybe you should have just called and asked," Renata suggested.

"Yeah. I suppose." She shrugged again, feeling totally dejected. "Well, it's none of my business anyway." She took a step back. "I guess I should get out of here." She nodded at her. "Good to see you again."

She nearly ran back to her Jeep, totally embarrassed by the jealousy she felt. Did she really think that Valentina would turn down a lunch date with Caroline Joseph? Maybe Caroline was right; she couldn't compete with her. She sat in her Jeep, looking down at herself. Shorts and sandals? Yeah, she felt young and childish. Caroline was mature. She was sophisticated. She didn't do stupid things like haul Valentina up to Mount Bonnell at night to see the moon. No, Caroline most likely took her to fancy and expensive restaurants.

 _Damn it_.


	34. Chapter 34

Valentina sipped from the crystal glass, surprised that Caroline had ordered wine with their lunch. Actually, she was surprised that Caroline had shown up at all. She had not spoken to her since her party.

"So, I must ask," Caroline said. "Are you avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you? No. You haven't called."

"Well, you just disappeared the other night at my house. I thought maybe... something upset you."

Valentina nodded, deciding to be honest with Caroline. "Actually, it was a bit uncomfortable that evening. You made it quite obvious to everyone there that you were dating Elizabeth Calhoun."

"I am. Or rather, I was." Caroline flashed a quick smile. "I rarely date exclusively. I thought you knew that."

"Yes, I do." Valentina paused, trying to find a tactful way to say what she was thinking. "And while I enjoy your company, I don't really see a future for us, Caroline. Nothing more than friends, anyway. I don't plan to be one of the many women you date."

"Is that any different than me being one of the many women you date?"

Valentina was taken aback by the question. "I don't know what you mean?"

"The painter. What was her name? Juliana Valdés?"

Valentina was shocked Caroline would bring up Juliana. "What about her?"

"You obviously have some sort of relationship with her. I could tell that when you ran into her at the party." Caroline's smile was a little condescending. "She's really not your type, though, is she? I mean, she's a painter."

"And that's a less noble profession than, say, suing insurance companies?"

Caroline seemed shocked by her words, but then laughed. "Good one, Valentina."

Valentina nodded. "And you're right, Juliana doesn't appear to be my type. But she's... fun. Different."

"So, you are dating her then?"

Valentina tilted her head, pondering what to call it. "We've gone out. I'm not exactly sure I'd call it dating," she said vaguely.

"I guess not, seeing as how she was dressed today."

Valentina frowned. "Today? What do you mean?"

"Oh, I beat her to your office by a few seconds," Caroline laughed. "She wasn't exactly dressed for lunch, but I'm sure that was her intention." Caroline picked up her wineglass. "We had a... a nice little discussion."

Oh, God, Juliana had come by her office? Valentina could only imagine the discussion Caroline had with her. And no, Juliana probably wasn't dressed for lunch here, but she still would have been perfect. And suddenly she wanted nothing more than for the lunch to be over. She shouldn't have accepted the invitation in the first place, but she couldn't think of an excuse to decline and she hadn't wanted to be rude. Now she wished she had been.

"I don't give up, you know."

Valentina brought her thoughts back to Caroline. "Excuse me?"

"I never give up the pursuit, Valentina."

Valentina met her gaze. "I wasn't aware I was prey."

* * *

Valentina gave Caroline a hurried, "thanks for lunch," as she got out of her car. The lunch had been endless and their conversation had been strained. To top it off, she had to confirm a date with Caroline to the annual banquet for her local CPA professional organisation. She was running for president this year, and, at the time, Caroline had seemed like the perfect date. She was well respected in the business community and very well known. Even then, Valentina had still almost cancelled. Almost. But she vowed it would be the last time she would go out with Caroline. Prey, my ass, she thought as she walked into the office. She went straight to Renata.

"Juliana? Did she come in?"

Renata smiled. "Yes. How was your lunch?"

Valentina shook her head. "Awful. Caroline said she ran into Juliana here. I guess she left. I didn't see her Jeep," she said.

"Yes, she came by."

"Did you tell her I went to lunch with Caroline?"

"I didn't have to tell her. Like you said, she saw Caroline. From what I gather, Juliana left thinking you would decline Caroline's invitation. She was planning to come back after Caroline was gone." Renata shrugged. "I told her she should have just called you and asked you to lunch herself."

"Was she... upset?"

"Upset? Well, she was something. I'm not sure upset is the word I would use."

Valentina threw her hands up. "How can it possibly be this complicated? I don't even like Caroline. In fact, she is a pompous bitch. I don't think I ever saw that before."

"How could you not? She's as pretentious as they come," Renata said.

"Oh, God, I know. And now I have to go to that banquet with her." She headed to her office, then stopped. "Did Juliana say anything? I mean, for you to give me a message or anything?"

"No. All she said was that it was none of her business, and she should get out of here."

"What does that mean?" Valentina frowned.

"None of her business that you were out with Caroline, I guess."

"I wasn't out with Caroline," she muttered as she slammed her office door. She took her phone out of her purse, calling Juliana. After the fourth ring, she knew it would go unanswered. When Juliana's voice mail came on, she had no idea what to say. She quickly disconnected without speaking.

"Oh, Juliana... please don't disappear on me."


	35. Chapter 35

Juliana towel-dried her hair, then looked into the mirror, making sure she'd gotten all the paint off her face. It's no wonder the guys didn't want her helping them. She ended up with more paint on her than on the walls. She took her time getting dressed, knowing no one else would want to use the shower. She was fairly certain she was the only one who took advantage of the office shower and dressing room. The guys would rather wait until they got home to shower. She couldn't stand having dried paint on her. On the days she helped paint, she almost always showered before leaving the office.

She was glad one of the teams was shorthanded this afternoon. It gave her a chance to get away and do something other than sit at her desk and wonder how Valentina's lunch date had gone.

_Caroline Joseph._

"What does Valentina see in her?" she asked out loud.

 _Well, let's see... she's rich, she's famous, she's successful. She's attractive. And she's an arrogant bitch,_ she added.

She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Did she really just call Caroline Joseph a bitch?

"Yeah, I did."

She shook her head, hating the jealousy she felt. Valentina could go out with anyone she wanted to. And in turn, Juliana could too. Only she didn't want to. She wanted... she only wanted to be with Valentina.

_How did this happen?_

She stared at her reflection again, meeting her gaze head on. Yes, how did it happen that her usual college girls held no interest for her anymore? There was only one answer: Valentina.

Well, it wouldn't do her any good hiding here in the office. She could always call up Staci and see if she wanted to get some dinner. But she knew where that would lead. No, better to pick up dinner and take it home. She grabbed her phone and headed out, thinking she'd call ahead and order some Mexican food. She was surprised to see a missed call from Valentina. She noted the time. After lunch. Renata must have mentioned that she had been there. Or maybe Caroline did.

She tapped the call back button, telling herself again that it was none of her business who Valentina went to lunch with, who she went out with. She had no hold on Valentina. They were only tiptoeing around dating, nothing more.

"Juliana," Valentina answered. "I was afraid you weren't going to call me back."

"Sorry. I just noticed your missed call. What's up?" She asked, hoping she sounded a little more blasé than she felt.

"Can you... come over?"

Juliana's eyebrows shot up. That, she was not expecting. "Umm, I guess. Is everything okay?"

"No. Everything is not okay." Valentina paused. "I want you to come over. I need... I want to break your no hanky-panky rule. If you want to, that is."

Juliana laughed quietly. "You mean, like right now?"

"Yes. Right now."

 _Damn_. Juliana felt her pulse race at the thought of being with Valentina again. She didn't know if it was a good idea or not. Shouldn't they at least talk about Caroline? Should she tell Valentina how she felt today when she saw Caroline? Oh, hell, they could talk later.

"I'll be right there."

She raced out of the office and jumped into her Jeep, driving away before she'd even put on her seat belt. She tried to obey the traffic codes, she really did. The last thing she wanted was to get stopped for speeding. That would only delay her seeing Valentina... Valentina and their hanky-panky.

She laughed at their use of that word. It had started down at the coast, the night they watched the moon. Blankets and wine and she had promised Valentina there would be no hanky-panky. No, that happened the next night. And the truth was, that was the night her world changed.

She nearly skidded to a stop in Valentina's driveway. She sat in the Jeep for a long moment, trying to calm her nerves. She couldn't believe how nervous she felt. She finally got out, then paused again before ringing the doorbell. It opened immediately.

"Took you long enough."

Juliana laughed. "I broke traffic codes to get here."

Valentina pulled her inside, closed the door and locked it. With their hands clasped, Valentina led her up the stairs.

"Do we need to talk first?" Valentina asked from above.

"I hope you're not taking me to your bedroom to talk," she said.

"I'm sorry about lunch," Valentina said.

"So, you do want to talk?"

"No. I want to make love to you."

Juliana stopped her at the top of the stairs, smiling. "Good. Then we'll talk later." She pulled her against her body, nearly melting at the contact. It had been too many months since Valentina had been in her arms, but as their bodies met, as their kiss turned heated, it felt like only yesterday.

Valentina's arms circled her neck, her fingers moving slowly through her hair. She pulled away enough to meet her gaze and Juliana saw the dark fiery blue that she remembered.

"I've missed this," Valentina murmured as her mouth moved to Juliana's ear. "I've missed you."

Juliana's eyes closed as she pulled Valentina impossibly closer. God, yes. She hadn't realised just how much she had missed Valentina. She found her mouth again, moaning into the kiss as Valentina's tongue danced with hers.

Valentina ended the kiss, then came back and kissed her once more before whispering, "bed."

"If you insist," Juliana said, not wanting to break contact even to get naked. They made quick work of their clothes, tossing them to the floor. Valentina flung the covers off the bed, then pulled Juliana down with her. Juliana covered Valentina's body with her own, relishing the feeling of skin on skin.

"God, you feel good," Valentina said, pulling Juliana's mouth to her own.

The hurried kisses of earlier were replaced by slow, passionate ones as Juliana fitted herself between Valentina's thighs and Valentina's hands roamed her back. Juliana's lips trailed to Valentina's neck, nuzzling and nibbling before moving lower. Her tongue raked across a nipple, causing Valentina to moan softly.

"I could just devour you," Juliana murmured.

"Please do," Valentina whispered.

Juliana's mouth closed over her nipple and Valentina's hips arched against her. Juliana straddled her thigh, shoving her own between Valentina's legs. She could feel her wetness and she pressed harder into her, leaving her breast and going back to her mouth. The kiss ended quickly as they both pulled away with the need to breathe.

"Please, I need you inside me," Valentina said as she arched hard, against Juliana's thigh.

Juliana lifted slightly, moving her hand between their bodies. She slipped easily into her wetness, filling her, feeling Valentina tighten around her fingers. Juliana remained still, only moving her thumb in quick circles around Valentina's clit. Valentina's legs squeezed tightly, and Juliana felt a steady pulse against her fingers.

"Don't stop," Valentina gasped.

Juliana continued her ministrations with her thumb, bending down to capture a nipple in her mouth. Valentina was moaning loudly as Juliana's tongue began to flick her nipple at the same pace her thumb was moving on her clit.

"Oh... God, Juliana," Valentina breathed. "God, yes!"

Valentina's hips bucked against her hand, and Juliana released her nipple, smiling as Valentina cried out in pleasure. Only then did she move her fingers, pulling out slightly, then going back inside, deeper than before. Valentina's hips arched against her again, and Juliana began a slow rhythm, in and out, the slick wetness of Valentina's arousal coating her hand.

"I can't... I can't possibly have... another," Valentina gasped as her hips continued to match Juliana's strokes.

"Try," Juliana whispered into her ear. "Picture my mouth on you, my tongue inside you. Because that's what I want to do next."

"No... that's what I want to do next," Valentina murmured. "I can't wait to taste you again."

"Oh, baby, me neither," Juliana said as her tongue snaked into Valentina's ear, bathing it, loving the quick moan from Valentina. "Yes, I can't wait for your tongue to be inside me," she said, her hand moving faster now, her own hips moving against Valentina's thigh, trying to get some relief herself.

She didn't have to wait long as Valentina's breath caught and her hips arched hard one last time, then she let out a near scream as her orgasm hit. Juliana stilled her hand, leaving her fingers inside Valentina a moment longer, only pulling out when Valentina's body relaxed. Valentina was breathing hard in quick pants, and Juliana leaned her head against Valentina's chest, trying to still her own heated body, giving Valentina time to recover.

"You're almost there, aren't you?"

"God, yes," Juliana said.

Juliana still straddled her thigh, and Valentina moved her hand between them. Juliana gasped as Valentina's fingers brushed her clit. She rocked against them quickly, pressing down hard with each stroke. She barely had time to register the feel of Valentina's fingers when she climaxed. Her orgasm was quick and sharp, and she buried her face against Valentina's neck to stifle her scream.

She shifted slightly, taking her weight off Valentina, but their hands continued to touch, moving slowly across each other's skin. Valentina pulled her in for a kiss, a slow, gentle kiss of lips moving lightly against lips, nothing more. When the kiss ended, their eyes met. Valentina smiled slightly and Juliana did the same.

"Thank you for coming over."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"Have you had dinner?" Valentina asked.

"No." Juliana's fingers brushed against Valentina's breasts, watching as her nipples hardened. "That's the last thing on my mind right now," she murmured.

"Do you... want to talk?"

Juliana shook her head. "No. I just want... I just want to be with you. Like this." She met her gaze again. "Naked and touching."

Valentina smiled. "Okay. Can you stay the night?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. Then I'll offer you breakfast in the morning."

Juliana rolled to her side, resting on her elbows. "Deal." Then she arched an eyebrow questioningly. "So... the sex toy. Did you keep it?"

Valentina laughed. "Of course. And imagine my surprise to find it when I was unpacking. I never did figure out how you managed to hide it in my luggage. You never came into my room."

"No? Maybe I snuck in when you were showering," she said.

"I don't think so. If that had been the case, you would have joined me in the shower."

"True." Juliana lowered her head, nibbled on her breast. "Maybe I got the cleaning lady to smuggle it in."

"Maybe your sister gave you a key to my room," Valentina countered, narrowing her eyes.

Juliana shook her head. "No way. Just giving me your room number was a huge deal for her. She wouldn't dare give me your key." Juliana kissed her again. "So... where is it?"

"It's close by," Valentina said. "Do you want it?"

"Can we?" Juliana asked enthusiastically.

Valentina sat up and opened the drawer beside her bed, lifting out the vibrator. She held it up. "Do you want it?"

Juliana stared at it, then at Valentina. "Do you use it?" she whispered.

Their eyes held.

Valentina nodded. "Yes."

Juliana tilted her head. "Do you... think of me when you use it?"

Valentina nodded again. "Yes."

Juliana reached out and took it from her, then leaned closer for a kiss. She could already hear the change in Valentina's breathing.

"Yes. I want to use it."


	36. Chapter 36

"You really don't have to make me breakfast," Juliana said as they made their way downstairs after a really, really long shower together.

"But we missed dinner," Valentina reminded her.

"I know. But we're going to be late as it is, and you're not even dressed yet. I can pick something up on the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Juliana pulled Valentina closer. "I'd rather spend the next few minutes kissing than cooking."

Valentina's arms looped around her neck as she leaned in close, her body covered only by a thin robe. Juliana immediately responded to her touch, eagerly, as if they hadn't spent most of the night before making love. Valentina reciprocated and their light kiss turned passionate instantly.

"I can't seem to get enough of you," Valentina murmured against her lips.

Juliana pressed her against the wall, one hand sneaking between them to cup her breast. Valentina's nipple was hard and she rubbed against it. She was aroused all over again and she slipped her thigh between Valentina's legs, feeling Valentina push against her.

"Do we have time?" she asked between kisses.

"I'm the boss. I can be late," Valentina said as her tongue rubbed against Juliana's lower lip.

Juliana sucked it into her mouth, moaning with Valentina as they tried to get closer still. She was about to slip her hand inside Valentina's robe when the doorbell rang, startling them. Both of their breaths came fast, both aroused. Their eyes held as they pulled apart, then Valentina straightened her robe and headed for the front door.

Juliana leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Damn, but she wanted to drag Valentina back up to the bedroom and not come down for at least an hour. She turned her head, wondering who would be at Valentina's door at this hour. Her eyes widened as she saw Valentina take an enormous bouquet of flowers from a delivery guy.

Valentina was simply staring at them, and the delivery guy stood there patiently waiting. Juliana fished out some bills from her pocket and handed them to the guy, who snatched them up with a quick smile.

They were beautiful, Juliana had to admit. And it didn't take a genius to know who they were from.

"Damn. It must have cost her a fortune to get them delivered at this hour," she said.

Valentina finally looked at her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. They're beautiful," she said.

Valentina sat the vase down on the hall table. She stared at the card. Juliana's gaze went there as well. There was only one word written there, Caroline.

Valentina turned to her, holding her gaze. "We... we never did talk, did we?"

"No."

Valentina tugged her robe a little tighter, her hands fidgeting as if stalling for time. Juliana reached out, stilling them.

"You don't owe me an explanation, Valentina."

"Don't I?"

"No. You and Caroline are dating," she said, feeling a stab of jealousy at her words. "It's perfectly normal for her to send you flowers."

Valentina shook her head. "We're not dating, Juliana. She just won't give up."

"No. Why would she? You're a very desirable... very beautiful woman, Valentina. Why would she give up?" Juliana shrugged. "I mean, she's rich and powerful. A successful businesswoman. She can have anyone she wants." Juliana swallowed, trying to lose some of the bitterness she felt. "And, as she informed me, she wants you. And she never loses."

"And, as I told her, I'm not prey," Valentina said.

They stared at each other for a long moment, then Juliana looked away, her gaze darting around the room quickly.

"I should probably get going," she said. "Busy day today."

Valentina sighed but said nothing.

Juliana nodded and turned to go, feeling a pain in her heart that she had never felt before.

"Juliana?"

She stopped and turned back to Valentina with raised eyebrows. Valentina walked closer, not stopping until they were touching. Valentina's arms circled her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss. Feeling her resistance vanish, Juliana wrapped her arms around Valentina's waist, holding her closer. The kiss was slow, soft, with a gentleness to it that simply melted Juliana where she stood. They kissed that way for several breathless moments before pulling apart. With eyes locked together, Valentina cupped Juliana's face, fingers running along her cheek, her thumb brushing against the lips she had just kissed. Juliana trembled from her touch, but she didn't dare move.

Finally, Valentina's fingers fell away and she took a step back. Juliana couldn't help but wonder if Valentina was saying goodbye.


	37. Chapter 37

Valentina hadn’t been out to lunch with her friend Isabella in a couple of months and eagerly accepted her invitation, agreeing to meet her at her favourite Mexican restaurant, one that she and Mayela used to frequent for lunch. She was surprised that the thought of Mayela no longer conjured up images of her and Claudia, naked in her bed. That seemed like an eternity ago. Maybe she should call Mayela and make amends. She really needed to thank her. If not for her affair with Claudia, Valentina and Claudia might still be together. That was depressing to think about.

“I’m glad you were free,” Isabella said. “We should do this more often.”

“Yes. I love this place,” she said as she ate a tortilla chip laden with green salsa. “How have you been? Are you still dating Kim?”

Isabella shook her head. “No. It’s been at least a month since we last went out. We didn’t have enough in common to sustain it. She hated the theatre,” she said with a laugh. “As you know, that is a passion of mine.”

“Do you still have season tickets to the Zach?”

“Of course. I took Kim to see Les Misérables, thinking she would at least enjoy that play.” She shook her head again. “But no. We only went out once more after that.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, the sex wasn’t good enough to overlook her flaws.”

Valentina said nothing, wondering when a dislike of the theatre became a flaw. While she enjoyed a couple of performances each year at Zachary Scott, she wouldn’t call it a passion of hers.

“So, what about you? You must be quite giddy,” Isabella said.

Valentina scooped up more salsa with a chip. “Oh?”

“I was surprised to hear that Caroline was no longer dating Elizabeth Calhoun. Actually, I was more shocked to hear she was ready to settle down finally.”

“Really? And who’s the lucky lady?”

Isabella laughed. “Well, you, silly.”

Valentina nearly choked on her chip. “Me?” She shook her head. “No, you’re mistaken.”

“Oh, no. Well, that’s all everyone is talking about. I even heard that she’s accompanying you to your CPA banquet. Constance was saying that Caroline is really looking forward to being in public with you as a couple. A coming out of sorts.”

 _Oh. Dear. God._ Valentina blinked several times, trying to follow Isabella’s conversation. Everyone was talking about it? Good Lord, she hadn’t even spoken to Caroline since their lunch date. She hadn’t even bothered to call and thank her for the flowers. She didn’t want to encourage her in any way.

“Well, I think everyone’s gossip is a bit premature,” she said finally. “Caroline and I aren’t a couple. Far from it.”

“Oh, I know, it would be quite astonishing if she really did settle down. I mean, we are talking about Caroline here,” Isabella said with a laugh. “How flattering that she’s chosen you. You wouldn’t believe how many are envious of you right now. They are already wondering how soon it’ll be before you move into her new house.”

Valentina was literally at a loss for words. Thankfully, their lunch was served. She dug into her enchiladas with a vengeance, feigning a hunger she was no longer feeling.

When she got back to her office, she went purposefully to Renata’s desk. “I need to talk to you.”

Renata looked away from her monitor with raised eyebrows. “I’m in the middle of our monthly billing,” she explained. “Can it wait?”

“No. I need to talk. And you are the closest thing I have to a best friend.”

Renata smirked. “Really? I’m straight and happily married. Do you really think I am the most qualified person to offer you advice when it comes to your women problems?”

Valentina blew out her breath. “Don’t be difficult, Renata. I have just been informed that not only am I in a relationship with Caroline Joseph, but I am apparently about to move into her house.”

“Really? I thought you hated her house.”

“I am NOT moving in with her Renata!” Valentina nearly snapped. She took a deep breath. “Can you please come into my office and listen and pretend to be interested while I rant?”

Renata pushed her chair back. “Of course. I suppose the billing can wait. You are the boss, after all.”

“Yes. Try to remember that.” Valentina rolled her eyes as she walked into her office. She really needed to find a best friend. Renata was right. How could she possibly relate to this situation?

Renata sat down in one of the visitor’s chairs and gave Valentina her full attention. Or so it seemed.

“I slept with Juliana,” she blurted out.

“I know. You already told me.”

“No. I mean... again.” She walked to the window and stared outside. “Two days ago. After my lunch with Caroline. I asked her to come over that night.”

“And?”

“And she stayed the night.” Valentina turned around and smiled. “Being with her is absolutely incredible.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Caroline is the problem. She had flowers delivered to my house that morning... just as Juliana and I were... well, saying our goodbyes,” she said, blushing slightly. “A huge vase and an assortment of flowers. They were quite beautiful,” she admitted.

“Okay. So Caroline is wooing you too.”

“Wooing? Do people really say ‘wooing’ anymore?” She sat down in her chair. “Caroline has made it clear that she intends to pursue me. Her words, not mine,” she said. “But she doesn’t do anything for me. There’s not even a ripple of an attraction between us.”

“And there is with Juliana?”

“Oh, God. Juliana makes me want to melt into a little puddle,” she said with a laugh.

“Okay. So, date Juliana and not Caroline.”

“But is there even the possibility of a future with Juliana? I mean, I like her a lot. She’s fun. But do we really have enough in common to date? Do we really fit into each other’s lives?”

“And Caroline fits?”

“Yes, of course she fits. And she is apparently telling all our friends that we’re a couple. They are probably placing bets on when I’ll move in with her.”

“Okay. So why are you even debating this? It sounds like Juliana is the one you would rather go out with,” Renata said reasonably.

Valentina raised her hands questioningly. “But do I even know Juliana? I mean, she dates college students. She’s not looking for a relationship. She just wants to have fun,” she said.

“And you are looking for a relationship?”

Valentina stared at her. “Renata, I’m thirty-five years old. Every date I go out on should be considered looking for a long-term partner, shouldn’t it? I’m too old to just date for the sake of dating.” She paused. “Aren’t I?”

Renata shook her head. “My God, I don’t know if there’s any hope for you. You’re not sixty-five, Valentina. You’re only thirty-five. Go out. Have fun. See where it takes you.” Renata threw up her arms. “Go out with both of them. Find a third person. Go out with her too. Why limit yourself?”

Valentina narrowed her eyes. “You are not helping.”

“Yes, well, I warned you.” Renata stood, signalling an end to their conversation. “It sounds to me like Juliana is the one you want to be with, you’re just not sure if she’s the one you should be with.”

Valentina leaned her head back against her chair. “Yes. That’s it exactly.”

“So, my straight, happily married advice is... go out with the one who makes you happy. Forget Caroline. Do not go out with her again. She’ll move on to someone else eventually.”

“I can’t. I already agreed to take her as my date to that stupid CPA banquet,” she said.

“Oh, yeah. You’re running for president. I can’t wait.”

“Yes, whose bright idea was that?”

“I believe it was yours.”

Valentina waved her away. “Go finish the billing. We’ve solved absolutely nothing here.” Renata smiled and shook her head as she left the office. Valentina rested her head back against her chair, staring at her recently painted ceiling and releasing a heavy sigh.

_Ay Valentina!_


	38. Chapter 38

Juliana leaned back in the patio chair; her legs stretched out in front of her. “I’m crazy about her,” she said. “Which... well, is crazy.”

Fer laughed and tipped her beer bottle in her direction. “About damn time some woman made you crazy.”

“She’s going to break my heart, you know,” she sighed.

“You don’t know that. She appeared to be quite smitten by you.”

Juliana smiled. “Smitten? Yeah, we’ve got this... this thing between us. But I can’t compete with Caroline Joseph.” Juliana sat up. “You should have seen the flowers, Fer. It was a huge vase with thirty or forty different flowers in there.”

“I doubt flowers will be the deciding factor here,” Fer said.

“She drives a Mercedes. She’s a face, a name, in the community. She’s a professional. She’s always impeccably dressed.” She motioned to herself. “Look at me. I can’t compete with that.”

“Look, if Valentina is someone you think you could fall in love with, then don’t let Caroline get in the way. You are who you are, Juliana. You are not Caroline Joseph. In fact, you are the complete opposite of Caroline Joseph.”

“Yeah. But she’s the type of woman Valentina usually dates.”

“From what we saw, she enjoyed her time out on the lake with us. And Camz and I are as far from Caroline Joseph as you are. She is obviously attracted to you. I think you should just ask her out. Do what you want to do, be yourself... and see what happens. You can’t change yourself trying to be someone you think she’ll like. Valentina already likes you the way you are.”

“Yeah. But what if it’s just the sex? What if that’s all she wants from me?”

“There could be worse things, Juliana,” Fer said with a laugh.

Juliana grinned. “Yeah. I suppose so.”

Fer was right, of course. She couldn’t change who she was. She didn’t want to change. She knew what she did want though. For the first time in her life, she wanted someone. Wanted to be with them, share things with them, talk to them, laugh with them, love them. She wanted all of that, and much more, with Valentina.

So, she would take Fer’s advice. She would simply ask Valentina out and see where it goes. But she would wait until Monday. She didn’t want to take a chance and get crushed this weekend; Valentina may have already made plans with Caroline. And if that was the case, she’d rather not know about it. No, she would rather stick her head in the sand and pretend that Valentina and Caroline weren’t dating.


	39. Chapter 39

Valentina stared at the flowers Renata held. For a brief moment, she thought they could be from Juliana, but they were just... too much. Juliana would never do that.

“Did you have a good weekend or what?” Renata asked. “This looks like a thank-you gift to me.”

“Very funny. No, I have not seen or spoken to Caroline.”

“Then I guess you’re right,” Renata said. “She doesn’t give up. Where would you like them?”

Valentina motioned to the sideboard behind her. “I think this bouquet is even larger than the one she had delivered to my house last week,” she said.

“Are you going to call her this time?” Renata asked as she handed her the card.

_Can’t wait to see you. Caroline._

“Seeing as how we’re supposed to go out Saturday night... I suppose I should.” She held the card up. “Doesn’t this seem odd though? She has not called or made any attempt to see me. Yet she has sent me flowers twice.”

“Maybe she’s giving you some space.”

Valentina shook her head. “One thing I’ve learned about Caroline, she’s only concerned about herself. I’m sure it didn’t even faze her when I told her I didn’t want to date her. She’s used to getting whatever and whoever she wants.” She tossed the card on her desk. “My guess is, she’s making her secretary send these.”

“Well, they are pretty, I’ll give her that.”

Valentina’s gaze landed on them. Yes, they were. Beautiful, in fact. But they were only flowers, nothing more. They conjured up no romantic feelings in her whatsoever. And as soon as the damn CPA banquet was over, she would tell Caroline in no uncertain terms that she was not, and would not, date her. The fact that she was using Caroline for her own means was not lost on her. She did feel a twinge of guilt about that, but it disappeared quickly. Caroline was looking out for her own interests, and Valentina was doing the same. Caroline was, whether Valentina wanted to admit it or not, quite powerful in the business community. Her name and face were recognised. And if others, like her, thought Caroline’s law firm did nothing more than prey on insurance companies, it was overlooked. Everyone knew that Caroline had a handful of successful business clients as well, not only hordes of accident victims hoping to cash in.

 _And I’m looking to cash in too_ , she thought. Being president of her professional organisation would no doubt bring in new clients. In fact, Caroline herself could bring her new clients. But Valentina didn’t want to play that game. If she was elected president, so be it. If not, she wasn’t going to lose any sleep over it.

A quick knock at her door brought her around and she turned, finding Juliana standing there. She smiled at Juliana’s, ‘Keep Austin Weird’ T-shirt.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.”

“Am I interrupting?”

Valentina stood up. “Not at all. Come in.”

Juliana’s smile faded as her gaze was drawn to the large bouquet of flowers. It was only then that Valentina saw the single rose Juliana held.

“Damn. She sent you more flowers?”

Valentina walked closer to her, taking the rose. She brought it to her nose, inhaling the fragrance. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Juliana pointed at the bouquet. “No Val, that’s beautiful.”

“No. That’s excessive.” She held the rose up. “I like this much better.”

Juliana seemed to relax then and her smile returned. Valentina couldn’t help herself as she leaned closer, kissing Juliana softly on the mouth.

When she pulled away, Juliana had a slight flush on her face.

“So... I came early,” Juliana said. “You know, in case someone else came by, wanting to take you to lunch.”

She looked at her expectantly, but Valentina shook her head. “I can’t. I have a lunch date with a client. How about tomorrow?”

“Can’t. It’s Laura’s birthday. I’m taking her out.”

“Oh.” _Who was Laura?_ “Well…”

“Laura is my office manager,” Juliana explained. “How about dinner?”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah.”

Valentina didn’t hesitate. “Okay.”

Juliana grinned. “Good. I’ll pick you up early. Six. Casual. Very casual.” She glanced at Valentina’s outfit. “And wear sensible shoes. The ones you wore to Mount Bonnell will work.”

Before Valentina could ask any questions, Juliana kissed her and was gone.

“Sensible shoes?” _I wonder where she’s taking me now._

* * *

“A picnic dinner?”

“And it involves hiking.”

Valentina laughed. “Okay, so that’s a first for me. Mount Bonnell again?”

“No, no. The 360 Bridge,” she said. “Pennybacker.” Juliana glanced at her. “We’ll catch the sunset. Nice views of Lake Austin too.”

The October evening was pleasant, and they both wore jeans. Juliana wore her lightweight hiking boots, but Valentina wore the only pair of tennis shoes she owned. She raised her eyebrows sceptically when Juliana parked near a No Parking sign.

“Yeah, so it’s not really an official viewpoint,” she said with a grin.

Valentina shook her head. “You’re going to get towed.”

“No, I won’t. There are other cars here. People do this all the time.” Juliana got out and moved to the back of the Jeep, pulling out a picnic basket and a blanket.

Valentina still hesitated. “Juls, are you sure it’s okay?”

“I’m sure,” Juliana said. “Come on Val, it’ll be fun,” she winked. “Sunset is around seven.”

Valentina put her fears of getting towed and ticketed aside and followed Juliana to a trail between the trees. It was a steep hike, and she held on to the junipers as her feet slipped on the rocks. But ten minutes later they were at the top. And the view was breath-taking.

“Wow.”

“Yeah. Pretty awesome, isn’t it?”

Valentina turned in all directions, seeing the Austin skyline in the near distance, watching a boat speed by on the lake below, then turning to the west where the sun was already beginning to turn the landscape a gorgeous orange.

She took a deep breath, absorbing it all. How had she lived in this city for the better part of seventeen years and never even heard of this place? She glanced over at Juliana, who was busy spreading out a blanket so they’d have an unobstructed view of the sunset. There were two other couples there, both with the same plan as them, apparently. One couple was sitting on some rocks near the edge. The other couple also had a blanket, but they were farther back against the trees.

Valentina joined Juliana on the blanket, crossing her legs at the ankles and hugging her knees. She had a smile on her face as she watched Juliana pull items from the basket, including a bottle of wine.

“Cheap sangria,” Juliana said. “To go with our tacos.”

Paper plates, plastic forks, several foil-wrapped tacos and a tub of rice. A paper bag with grease stains contained fresh tortilla chips and a white Styrofoam cup held the salsa.

“But I did remember wineglasses this time,” Juliana said. “Well, sort of.”

Valentina was completely charmed by Juliana’s picnic, plastic wine cups and all. And if they’d been alone, she would have leaned over and kissed her right then.

“It’s nothing fancy,” Juliana said almost apologetically.

“I don’t need fancy,” she said as she picked up a cup and the bottle of sangria. “It’s perfect like this.”

And it was. It was a comfortable, intimate silence as they ate dinner, their gazes alternating between the approaching sunset and each other. Flirty smiles and accidental touches caused Valentina to wish they were truly alone. She had a need to be close to Juliana, to touch her unabashedly, to kiss her. As their eyes found each other more often than the sunset, Valentina realised Juliana was feeling the same. But hushed conversations from the other couples around them, made her resist her urges.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Very,” Valentina said as her gaze returned to the sunset.

“When I was a kid and spent my summers here with Macario, he used to take me to Enchanted Rock,” Juliana said. “We’d sleep in a tent and do the whole camping thing. We’d always hike to the top of the rock to watch the sunset.” She turned to Valentina. “And sometimes, if he could get me up, he’d haul my ass up there to catch the sunrise too.”

“Is he where you got your love of this from?” she asked with a motion toward the sun.

“Yeah, I guess. I was always closer to my dad than my mom,” Juliana said. “Actually, Tess is closer to my mother than I am.”

“You were five when they married?”

“Yeah. Tess is just a little older. She was the girlie girl my mother always wanted. I just didn’t fit that mould,” Juliana said with a laugh. “What about you? You said you had one sibling?”

Valentina nodded. “An older sister. We’re six years apart.” She sighed. “We’re not close at all though. We call each other on birthdays, but that’s about it.”

“Where does she live?”

“Mexico City. That’s where I grew up,” she said. “My parents divorced when I was a senior in high school. Eva was already married.” She shrugged. “I moved to Austin to go to college and we drifted apart. The whole family did.”

“That’s too bad. I can’t imagine my life without Tess. My dad and I are close. My mother, well, we’re not emotionally close, but that’s not to say we don’t talk,” Juliana said.

“My father remarried and lives in L.A. now,” she said. “I’ve met his wife only once. And my mother, well, the divorce took its toll on her.” Valentina shook her head. “She was never the same. She became overly religious. When I came out to her, you would have thought the world was coming to an end,” she said with a laugh. She could speak lightly of it now. At the time, she was devastated by her mother’s reaction. They had also drifted apart.

“Yeah. Some parents are only concerned with how that news affects them, not their children,” Juliana said.

“Exactly. I needed her support,” she said. “I was scared, I was lonely. But I got nothing from her. My sister was accepting, but we still weren’t close.”

Juliana reached over and pulled her into a one-armed hug, then released her. “I don’t like to think of you being lonely,” she said quietly.

Valentina met her eyes in the waning twilight. “Sometimes... I’m still lonely.”

As their eyes held, she swore she felt something pass between them. She wanted to hold on to it tightly, and her gaze never wavered.

“We should... we should probably get going,” Juliana said. “Because right now, I really want to kiss you.”

Valentina nodded. “Can you stay with me tonight? Will you make love to me?”

Juliana smiled, a sweet smile that dissolved any loneliness she may have been feeling. “I’ll love you all night long if you’ll let me.”

Valentina, biting her lip to contain her smile, reached out and tangled her fingers with Juliana’s. “Yes. I’ll let you.”


	40. Chapter 40

Valentina finished up the account she had been working on but decided the other two that required her attention, would have to wait until later. She couldn’t concentrate long enough.

She spun around in her chair, staring out the window. She knew she had to tell Juliana she was going out with Caroline on Saturday night. She had put it off all week, even though they’d seen each other twice. She just couldn’t find the right words to say. It wasn’t really a date, she kept telling herself. But to Caroline, it was. And to Juliana, it certainly would be. She tried to reason that it was okay if she went out with Caroline. For all she knew, Juliana was still seeing Staci or any other of her college-age friends. Although she didn’t really believe that. Juliana hadn’t given her any indication that she was seeing, or dating, anyone else.

A quick smile came to her face as she accepted the fact that she and Juliana were dating, were seeing each other. She enjoyed every minute, every second of the time they spent together. But her smile faded as quickly as it had come. Saturday. Surely Juliana would want to do something. And Valentina would have to tell her, would have to tell her she couldn’t, because she was going out with Caroline Joseph. And Juliana would be hurt.

The ringing of her phone brought her attention back to her desk. She picked it up, seeing Camilla Burns’ name on the screen. They had exchanged phone numbers that day at the lake, but she hadn’t spoken to her since then.

“Hello, Camz. How are you?”

“Hi, Valentina. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time,” Camz said.

“No, not at all.”

“Good. I wanted to see if you were free on Saturday evening. The forecast is sunny and warm so we’re having steaks out by the pool. An early dinner. We’d love you to join us.”

Valentina leaned her head back on her chair and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Camz. I would love to, but I already have plans on Saturday.” She opened her eyes again, realising how that sounded. “I’ve got a CPA banquet to go to. It’s our annual dinner,” she explained.

“Oh, that’s too bad. When I mentioned dinner, Juliana was hoping you would come. I guess she forgot about your...”

“Actually, I don’t think I’ve mentioned it to her,” she said, allowing herself a small lie. “I’d love to see you and Fer again though. Perhaps another time?”

“Of course. We’ll look forward to seeing you.”

“Thanks, Camz. We’ll talk soon.”

She held her phone tightly in her lap, trying to decide what she was going to tell Juliana. She should call her. Explain.

No. Not over the phone. That would be the cowardly way out. She would simply tell her the truth. It was no big deal, really. Juliana would understand. Surely, she would.

Although an hour later, when Juliana was standing in her office, that flirty, sexy smile on her face, Valentina wasn’t so sure.

“I was in the area,” Juliana said. “Honestly.”

Valentina smiled, unable to take her eyes off Juliana.

“And I’m not even here to steal you away for lunch.”

“Oh?” Valentina raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. I just wanted to see you,” Juliana said with her flirty smile. “And to invite you to dinner on Saturday night. Camz and Fer want to do steaks out by the pool.”

Valentina’s heart sank. “Actually, Camz already called me.”

“She did? Oh, well, great,” Juliana said happily. “I forgot she had your number.”

Valentina walked around her, closing the door. When she turned back around, she moved closer to Juliana, her hand touching Juliana’s arm and squeezing lightly. “I can’t make it, though,” she said. “I’ve... I have this... this CPA banquet.”

“Oh. Okay.”

The disappointment was evident in Juliana’s voice, and on her face. She rushed to explain.

“It’s our annual dinner and meeting,” she said. “I’m running for president. It’s kind of a big deal.”

“Really? Wow.” Juliana’s smile returned. “Do you need a date?”

Valentina simply stared into her big brown eyes, not knowing what to say. Apparently, she didn’t have to say anything.

“Oh. You already have one,” Juliana said. “You erm... you haven’t mentioned Caroline in a while. I thought...”

“Juliana, this was planned a long time ago. Caroline... she’s a name in the community. She’s well respected. Everyone knows her or at least knows of her.” She waved her hand nervously in the air. “TV commercials, billboards.”

“Hey, no problem,” Juliana said evenly. “Caroline is a perfect date for you. Me, I wouldn’t have anything to wear.”

“Juliana, it’s... it’s not really a date,” she said unconvincingly.

“Sure it is. But it’s none of my business.” Juliana shrugged and looked away.

“Juliana...”

Juliana held her hand up. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Valentina.” She moved around Valentina towards the door.

“I’m not... I’m not sleeping with Caroline,” she said. “I’m not dating her. This was planned before you and I...”

A loud knock on her door stopped her explanation. Renata opened the door and stuck her head in, meeting her questioning gaze.

“Just wanted to let you know that... Caroline has just pulled up out front.” Her sympathetic gaze went to Juliana, then back to her. “I thought...” she said with a shrug.

 _Oh, dear God._ Valentina closed her eyes trying to compose herself. _This woman has the worst timing._

“Yeah, thanks,” Juliana spoke first. “I was just leaving.”

Renata closed the door again, Valentina grabbed Juliana’s hand. “Juliana, please. Don’t go.”

Juliana forced a smile. “Really, it’s okay,” she said. “Call me if you want to get together. Whenever you’re free.”

Valentina looked pleadingly at her, but Juliana was already opening the door. Valentina heard Caroline’s voice, she heard Juliana and Caroline exchange what she assumed was a greeting. She turned around, facing the window, hating herself at that moment. She’d hurt Juliana, she knew it. She should have told her earlier about the banquet. She shouldn’t have hidden it from her.

“Are you free for lunch?”

_And the hits kept coming._

Valentina turned around, facing Caroline. The smile that Caroline gave her was as forced as Juliana’s had been. Valentina followed their lead and forced one as well.

“Sure.”


	41. Chapter 41

“I’m overreacting, aren’t I?” Juliana asked while chewing on her thumb nail.

Camz nodded. “Maybe a little.”

“It’s just... Caroline Joseph is so false.” She said, throwing her arms up in frustration. “I don’t get it. What does Valentina see in her?”

“I spent quite a bit of time with Caroline when we were designing her house,” Camz said. “I know she wanted it to be a showcase more than anything else.” She shook her head. “It reminded me of the mansion I used to live in.”

“Your ex? Lauren?”

“Yeah.” Camz glanced over to the grill where Fer was preparing the steaks they would have for their early dinner. “Caroline reminds me a lot of Lauren. Charming, although there’s nothing sincere about her. Everything is for a purpose. Her own purpose. Lauren was an attorney too, you know.”

Juliana nodded. “Yeah. But the Valentina I know should see right through that. I can’t see her being charmed by that type of person. She told me wasn't even attracted to her, I just don't get it.”

“Well, we were only around her at the lake, but she seemed very down to earth. I can’t see her enjoying the crowd Caroline hangs out with.”

“I know. But that’s her type,” she said.

“But you two, you’re dating. Right?”

Juliana shrugged. “Yeah. I mean, I think so. We go out. We... we sleep together.”

“Then I think you’re overreacting to this alleged date she has with Caroline. Do you have any reason to think that she would lie to you?”

“No.”

“So this banquet was planned months ago, I imagine. And months ago, she was dating Caroline. From what you’ve told us, this is more of a business arrangement than a social date.”

“Yeah. I keep telling myself that. Because the thought of her being with Caroline makes me want to vomit! But I keep running into Caroline at Valentina’s office, she’s always dressed up, asking to take her to lunch. And she had that arrogant smirk on her face as I was leaving.” Juliana reached for the beer that Fer offered her. “Thanks.” She turned back to Camz. “And Caroline always gets what she wants, or so she told me, in no uncertain terms.”

“Yeah,” Fer said. “But what do you want?”

“I think we both want the same thing,” she answered. “Valentina.”

“And probably for two completely different reasons.”

Camz leaned across the table and squeezed Juliana’s arm affectionately. “How far in are you?”

Juliana smiled. “I’m afraid I might be too far in.”

Camz smiled too, slapping her arm. “Good. It’s about time you fell in love with someone.”

“Yeah. But what if it’s the wrong someone?”

“These things have a way of working themselves out.” Camz glanced at Fer and smiled. “Don’t they, sweetheart?”

Fer nodded. “Yes, they do.” Fer looked at Juliana. “I told you about our time in Hawaii and how we were crazy in love. But that morning when Lauren arrived and took Camz away, I was a total mess. I wanted to believe that Camz would see through her façade, but a part of me was terrified she wouldn’t.” She smiled at Camz. “Unwarranted fear, it turns out.”

Camz laughed. “I do believe we had sex on the beach that night.”

Fer laughed too and glanced at Juliana, wiggling her eyebrows. “And we’re not talking about the drink!”

Juliana held her hands up. “Okay, that’s way too much information.”

She observed how their eyes still lit up when they looked at each other. And it was with envy that she watched Fer lean over and kiss Camz. These were her two best friends and they were always affectionate with each other. She had been around them for years, but this was the first time that she realised how much she wanted what they had.

Before Valentina came into her life, she hadn’t given it much thought. She was content dating college students. They were fun. They weren’t looking for anything other than a good time. There were no commitments, no responsibilities. She hadn’t considered that she could meet someone completely different and fall head over heels in love.

And she was different. But Valentina was out right now with Caroline Joseph, someone who was not different. Caroline sent her expensive flowers and took her to fancy restaurants. Caroline knew all the right people, said all the right things. The car she drove symbolised her personality and her prominence in the world. A status symbol for all to see.

She supposed the Jeep she drove was a status symbol too. But it illustrated how completely opposite she and Caroline Joseph were. And in the middle, was Valentina. Juliana had a sudden ache in her chest. Valentina would never choose her. Not over Caroline Joseph. Who would?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, Val is a bloody disaster and before you complain!!!  
> I did not write this story!! But I promise there'll be sunshine and rainbows by the end... the rest will be posted tomorrow. 
> 
> ☀️🌈 LOVE YOU GUYS! 😘


	42. Chapter 42

Valentina stared at herself in the mirror. Her slate grey skirt and cobalt blouse looked as striking as the salesperson had said it would. "It'll pop with the colour of your eyes." But at the moment, her eyes appeared lifeless. When the door to the restroom opened, she looked away from the mirror, and her own accusing gaze, and smiled politely at the woman who had entered.

Once back in the ballroom, she scanned the crowd, seeing familiar faces, most of whom she only saw once or twice a year. A profound sadness settled over her.

_What am I doing here?_

She had not heard a word from Juliana since she left her office. Not that she expected to. Juliana had said to call her if she wanted to get together. It was only two days, but she missed her like crazy. She hadn't dared to pick up the phone to call her. Because honestly, she didn't know what to say to her. She would wait until after the weekend, after this stupid banquet was over with.

Lunch with Caroline had been strained to say the least. While Caroline never once mentioned Juliana or even asked what she'd been doing at Valentina's office, her demeanour made it clear that she was annoyed to find Juliana there. Valentina saw no reason to offer an explanation. Juliana had as much right to be there as Caroline did. More so, in fact. She was sleeping with Juliana, not Caroline.

Yet here she was, all dressed up, with Caroline as her date, not Juliana. The complicated mess her life was in right now was her own doing, all because she thought she needed to make an impression on her peers and colleagues. And for what? To be elected president? As if that would be a defining moment in her career? Her firm wasn't large, but it was large enough for her. She knew the real reason she thought she needed to add something to her professional résumé. She was simply unfulfilled in her personal life so she had turned her focus to her career, even though she was already satisfied with the path her professional life had taken.

She drew in a heavy breath, something she had been doing a lot lately. She had been dreading this evening. She looked down at her arm, seeing the dozens of twinkling diamonds flashing at her, the bracelet that Caroline had slipped on her wrist earlier this evening.

"There's only one thing missing," Caroline had said.

Valentina had looked at her questioningly.

Caroline had produced an elegant black box and Valentina had been too stunned to offer a protest.

"You're a beautiful woman, Valentina. You deserve beautiful things."

And now here they were, mingling with her colleagues, Caroline playing the crowd as only she could do. Valentina looked across the throng of people, finding Caroline, her suit very similar to her own. Caroline's words were still fresh in her mind.

"You look stunning," she'd said. "I think we'll be the sharpest looking couple there."

Valentina hated to admit it, but Caroline had been right. They matched perfectly. But as she stared out over the crowd, her gaze traveling past Caroline to the others in the room, she felt as lost and... and miserable. She could not remember ever feeling this way before.

_God, I hate my life._

That one thought hit home to her like no other. Yes, right now, she simply hated her life. This was not where she wanted to be. These people were not who she wanted to be with. Caroline was not the person she wanted as her date.

She felt her chest tighten, as an acute dose of anxiety hit her. No. This was not where she wanted to be. Before she could change her mind, before she could come to her senses, she walked purposefully toward Caroline. She was involved in an animated conversation with Walter Randal, the current president of the organisation. Valentina didn't consider waiting for a break in their exchange.

"May I speak with you, please?" she asked quietly.

Caroline glanced her way and nodded. "Of course."

Valentina smiled apologetically at Walter, then led Caroline toward the doors. Caroline followed but hesitated when Valentina walked outside.

"I think they are about to serve dinner," Caroline said.

"I know. This won't take long."

Caroline's smile was forced. "What's wrong, Valentina?"

Valentina held up her wrist, showing the bracelet. "For starters, this. I can't accept it," she said.

"Of course, you can."

"No, Caroline, I can't." Valentina fumbled with the clasp, finally releasing it. She held it out to Caroline. "I can't accept it."

Caroline's smile bordered on condescending as she took the bracelet from her. "You are a beautiful woman, Valentina. I can give you lots of beautiful things." She laughed quietly. "Your painter friend... well, I found out she doesn't really own the business. Her father does. She's more like an office manager, that's all." Her laugh was smug this time. "Look what she drives."

Valentina was at a loss for words, surprised that Caroline would bring Juliana up.

Caroline held the bracelet up, the light making the diamonds twinkle. "She can't give you expensive things like this. I can. I can give you the moon, Valentina."

Valentina stared at the bracelet, then brought her gaze back to Caroline. She shook her head slowly. "The moon? No. You can give me everything but the moon," she said. "Juliana... has already given me a full moon, a midnight moon as seen over the surf at high tide, as seen from atop Mount Bonnell." She smiled at the confused expression on Caroline's face. "You see, Juliana offers me nothing but herself... and the moon. You offer me everything but yourself," she said, motioning to the diamonds.

Caroline frowned. "The moon?"

"I know you think this is some game, some competition. I know you're used to having anyone, anything, you want. But I'm not interested in that with you. I'm sorry."

Caroline smirked. "You were interested enough to sleep with me."

"Actually, no. I was jealous enough to sleep with you," she said. "That was the night I ran into Juliana again."

Caroline's face hardened. "Juliana and the young blonde she was with."

"Yes."

"Well, I suppose I'm willing to forgive you for that," Caroline said. "I was sleeping with Elizabeth at the time." She fingered the bracelet. "All of that aside, I'm ready to talk about us."

Valentina looked at her incredulously. "There is no us, Caroline. Haven't you heard anything I just said?"

Caroline's smile was patronising. "And haven't you heard what I said? I can give you anything... everything. We would be good together. Look at us," she said, motioning between them. "We're the perfect couple."

"All of this means nothing to me," Valentina said. "I convinced myself that it did. For years, I thought this," she said, motioning to Caroline and her bracelet, "was important. There were all these rules. Rules that I thought I had to follow." She shook her head. "I always thought this was what I wanted."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about us. I'm talking about the way we live. I'm talking about the prestige that we place on things and people. It's all so... so ridiculous," she said. "What I really want has been right in front of me."

"You're making no sense, Valentina."

"I don't care about this damn banquet or being president. I don't care about a diamond bracelet, Caroline. I don't care about things you can give me. It means nothing if you're not happy. And I just want to be happy. I want to be fulfilled." She tapped her chest. "In here. That's what I'm talking about. And Juliana makes me happy. Juliana makes me feel like I'm the most precious person in the world."

"She's a nobody," Caroline spat. "She's a painter!"

"I don't care what she does for a living. I don't care if her name is attached to that business or not. She only has to bring me a single rose and offer me the moon. She's like a breath of fresh air." She stared at Caroline. "And I'm acting like she's not good enough. You're trying to convince me that she's not good enough."

"She's not good enough. You deserve someone better than that."

Valentina met her gaze. "You? I deserve you?"

"Yes. We can be good together."

"Good? How? We have nothing in common, Caroline."

"Of course we do. We travel in the same circles, Valentina."

"Then I need a new circle," she said. "The truth is, I'm not attracted to you. I'm not interested in any kind of a romantic relationship with you. I'm sorry if I led you to believe that."

Caroline took a step back. "If you think I'm giving up, you're crazy."

"I already told you before, I am not prey."

"I don't consider you prey, Valentina. Just a very enticing challenge. I always get what I want."

"Is that a threat?"

"I'm just saying, I can be very persuasive. I can give you things, Valentina. I can also take them away."

The smile Caroline gave her sent a shiver down her spine.

"So it is a threat, then," she said.

"I have a lot of influence, as you know. Which is why you wanted me to accompany you to this banquet in the first place." She shrugged. "I don't mind you using me, Valentina. I just expect something in return."

"Sex?"

"That's a good start," Caroline said with a smile. "But I'm getting older. I'm ready to settle down. You and I would make a great team."

Valentina couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You are crazy," she said, speaking the first words that popped into her mind. "I'm not something you can buy, Caroline."

"I think you forget the position of prominence that I hold within our circle of friends and colleagues. I can easily have you shunned from the group. I would hate to see your business suffer."

Valentina laughed. "If you think my business stays afloat only because of the few clients I have from 'our circle'," she said, making quotation marks in the air, "you're very mistaken."

"Well, we can discuss business later, Valentina. We should really get back inside. I'm sure you are anxious to go mingle."

Valentina stared at her. "I am truly at a loss here, Caroline. I feel like I'm talking to a... a robot or something."

"I don't understand."

"Let me put it to you simply. I am in love with someone. And it's not you. So I am not going back inside with you. I am not going to lunch with you. I am not doing anything with you ever again. Do you understand?"

"In love?" Caroline scoffed. "Please. What does love have to do with it? I'm talking about a business arrangement, Valentina. One that would benefit both of us."

"I know what you're talking about. And it's sad that you don't realise how ridiculous that sounds," she said. "I am not interested. Take your offer somewhere else." She walked back toward the door. "I'm sorry, Caroline, but I can't do this."

"Do this? We are already here. It has started. You are about to be announced president," she said.

"I don't care. I'm not staying. I'm sorry I wasted your time this evening."

Caroline squared her shoulders. "You're making a big mistake, Valentina."

"No. I'm finally doing the right thing," she said. "I'm following my heart."

"And it will get you nowhere," Caroline said. "Talk about not having anything in common, that's you and your young friend, Juliana."

"You're wrong. We have a lot in common. I was just too blind to see it." She took another step toward the door, then stopped. "I'm sorry, Caroline. Really, I am."

Caroline raised her chin and walked past Valentina to the door, opening it. "When you come to your senses, give me a call. My offer might still be on the table."

"No thanks."

Caroline's strained smile turned mocking. "One day you will look back on this moment and realise you made the wrong choice."

"Whether Juliana is the wrong choice or not... you would never have been the right one."

And, as if she did not want Valentina to get in the final jab, Caroline tossed a rather lame parting shot over her shoulder.

"Your loss, Valentina."

Valentina very nearly rolled her eyes. "What did I ever see in her?" she murmured.

She realised people were staring at her. She went back inside, heading straight to their table. Her whole staff was there with their partners. Renata and Stephen, Louise and Chris, and Shane and Emma. She smiled apologetically at them even as Caroline took her seat at the table. She bent down, whispering to Renata.

"I have to go. Can I borrow your car, please?"

Renata's eyebrows shot up. "What? No. It's starting. You're running for president."

"I don't care."

Renata glanced at Caroline. "What's going on?"

"I need to find Juliana."

"Are you crazy? Dinner is about to be served."

"Okay, yes. I am crazy. Crazy in love," Valentina said. She looked at Caroline, who had her back to them. "Please, I'll leave your car at my house. Louise or Shane can give you a ride."

Renata shook her head, her eyes staring into Valentina's. "No. You're supposed to give a speech."

"You wrote it. You give it," she said. "Please? I need your car."

Renata fumbled in her purse. "You owe me for this," she said as she handed Valentina her keys. "Lock the car and hold on to the keys. Stephen has a set."

Valentina grinned. "You're the best." She bent down and quickly kissed Renata on the cheek. "Remind me to give you a raise."

"Count on it!"

As she headed for the doors, she felt eyes on her back, and she turned, seeing curious glances directed her way. She imagined she heard whisperings as she made her escape. She didn't care. She only had one thing on her mind, finding Juliana.

Of course, it would have helped if Renata had told her where she had parked her car. She pushed the remote several times, looking for flashing lights.

"Come on, come on," she murmured as she snaked her way through the parking lot. Finally, the lights on a Toyota Camry came on, and she hurried toward it.

The drive to her house was made on autopilot, her hands gripping the steering wheel tight. She called Juliana, but there was no answer. She parked on the side of her driveway and locked Renata's car. Once inside the house, she ran up the stairs as fast as her heels would allow. She stripped out of her suit and tossed it on the bed, then hurried to her closet, pulling out the first pair of jeans she saw. She added a T-shirt and sneakers and sprinted down the stairs again.

She was out of breath when she picked up her phone and called Juliana again. Her heart was pounding nervously as it went unanswered... again.

"Please, Juliana," she whispered to no avail as it went to voicemail. She ended the call without leaving a message. She would just have to find her.

But as she started her car and backed out of the garage, she realised she had no idea where she was going. To Fer and Camz' house? Could she even remember how to get out there? She tapped the steering wheel with her fingers, trying to decide what to do. She pulled her phone out, scrolling through her contacts. She stared at Camz's name. They had planned to have dinner tonight. Surely Juliana was still there.

"But she didn't answer her phone," she murmured. Maybe Juliana didn't want to talk to her, didn't want to see her.

She tapped Camz's name anyway. She had to find Juliana.


	43. Chapter 43

Juliana sorted through the pile of rocks she had collected, finding a larger one. She held it in her hand, then tossed it into the lake, hearing the plonk followed by a splash. She could barely make out the ripples as they hit the pier. She looked up to the night sky. She was far enough from the city to see the stars, but the moon was rising and it lit up the entire sky.

And that, of course, made her feel... well, a little depressed. She would forever associate the moon with Valentina. While she liked a good sunset, even a nice sunrise, the full moon was something special. She remembered the first time her father had dragged her out of a warm sleeping bag to hike up a hilltop to see the moon as the clock ticked near midnight. And she remembered when he bought this place. She had still been in high school. But that first summer, on the full moon of each month, he'd take her out on the boat and they would float lazily on the lake, watching as it hovered above them. Carefree times, for sure. She had discovered her love of the quiet, of the night sky, from her father. And she had never shared that with anyone.

Not until that night at the coast when she'd banged on Valentina's door, coaxing her out to share the high tide and the midnight moon with her. Juliana wondered if she had fallen in love with Valentina that very night.

"And she's out with Caroline Joseph tonight," she said dryly.

Okay, maybe this date had been planned a while ago. Juliana tried to remind herself that she had no holds on Valentina. They were dating, they were getting to know each other. They weren't technically in a relationship.

She grabbed another rock and tossed it into the lake. No, they weren't in a relationship. What the hell did she know about relationships anyway? She had no experience in anything other than dating college girls. Valentina was a mature woman used to dating women... well, women like Caroline Joseph.

"And I am so not Caroline Joseph," she murmured as she reached for the wine bottle, taking a long swallow.

Maybe... maybe she and Valentina were too different. Maybe they didn't have enough in common to make this into something. So what if the sex was fantastic? Was that enough?

She took another rock and tossed it in the lake, the splash disturbing the silence. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the fragrance of the old juniper that guarded the pier. Yes, the sex was something special. That didn't necessarily mean their relationship would be as well. She let out a frustrated sigh and lay back on the pier, arms out to her sides. She stared up into the heavens, wishing she could turn her thoughts to something other than Valentina... and Caroline.

But they continued to dance around in her head, making her crazy. She closed her eyes to the stars, instead picturing sunshine and sand, racing waves on the beach, the roar of the surf, the cry of the gulls, all things that would forever be linked to Valentina. But still, it was a peaceful feeling that washed over her. Because she could see the look in Valentina's blue eyes, the look she had after they made love. The look that told her it was more than just sex. It was making love.

She opened her eyes again, blinking into the night sky, focusing again on the stars. She rolled her head to the side, finding the moon as it rose higher into the sky. Valentina's eyes couldn't lie. She smiled slightly. No, those eyes didn't lie.

She sat up and grabbed another rock, giving it an easy toss into the lake. So maybe she had overreacted. As Camz had said, it was a business date. Probably. No reason for her to be riddled with jealousy. No reason to act like a stupid spoiled child or run and hide from Valentina.

"Do you want some company?"

Juliana jumped, nearly falling off the pier and into the lake. "Jesus Christ Val, you scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry," she giggled. The boards of the pier creaked as Valentina walked closer. "Can I join you?"

Juliana nodded, her hand still resting over her racing heart, wondering if she was dreaming or if Valentina was really here. _What about her banquet? What about her date?_

"You looked lost in thought," Valentina said as she sat down beside her. "Wanna share?"

Juliana shrugged. "A lot of things, really. At first, I was thinking that maybe you were right."

"Right about what?"

"Down at the coast, you said that I wasn't your type." She held up the wine bottle. "You wouldn't find Caroline Joseph drinking wine out of the bottle."

"No." Valentina swung her legs into motion over the edge of the pier, and Juliana found herself doing the same. "No, you wouldn't. You wouldn't find her sitting out here either."

Juliana took a sip of the wine and handed the bottle to Valentina. The smile Valentina gave her nearly melted her heart.

"So what are you doing out here anyway? What happened to your banquet?"

Valentina tucked the wine bottle between her legs, then continued to swing them back and forth over the water. The silence was broken by the sound of an owl in the trees behind them.

"I decided I didn't want to be president," Valentina said.

"Really? I thought that was a big deal," she said.

"Oh, I don't know. It might bring in more business, but we're doing okay."

Juliana leaned closer and bumped her shoulder. "What really happened?"

Valentina sighed. "Caroline gave me a diamond bracelet."

Juliana glanced at her wrists. They were bare. She reached out, rubbing her index finger against Valentina's skin. "And where is it?"

"I didn't accept it." Valentina cleared her throat. "She said she could offer me expensive things. She sends me huge bouquets of flowers, but all I want is a single rose," Valentina said, her voice soft and quiet, mixing with the stillness of the lake. "She said she could offer me the moon." Valentina turned, finding Juliana's eyes in the moonlight. "I told her you had already given me the moon."

Juliana was afraid to breathe, but she was not afraid to tell Valentina what was in her heart. "Valentina," she whispered. "Please... please say I'm not the only one."

"The only one?"

"Who has fallen in love."

Valentina leaned forward, lightly kissing Juliana's lips. "Juls, I am totally in love with you. Crazy in love."

Juliana froze, her eyes unblinking. "Really?"

Valentina laughed. "Yes, really."

"Wow. In my head I had you and Caroline practically married," she teased.

Valentina slapped playfully at her arm. "Stop."

Juliana felt giddy as she leaned into Valentina, kissing her again. But she pulled back before it went any further.

Valentina rested her head against Juliana's shoulder. "I'm really sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yeah. That definitely stung."

"I didn't know how to tell you about the banquet. And yes, Caroline has made it clear she wants more from me than friendship."

"I understand."

"I don't think you do." Valentina lifted her head, cupping Juliana's face with one hand. "I don't want anything from her. To me, she's no different than Claudia, or any of the others in our so-called circle," she said. "After I met you, that circle that I called my friends, the women that I started dating, they all paled in comparison. And I didn't think I would ever see you again."

"I begged Tess to give me your name and address, but she refused," Juliana said.

"Maybe it was fate then."

"Maybe."

Valentina leaned her head against her shoulder once again. "I feel so comfortable with you, Juliana. It's so different from anything I've ever experienced before. It's a little scary."

"It's very scary." Juliana linked her fingers with Valentina's. "So how did you find your way here?"

"Camz. She texted me directions," Valentina said. "I really like her."

Juliana laughed. "She's the only reason I didn't crash your banquet tonight. She convinced me I was overreacting."

"I think Camz and I are going to be good friends," she smiled.

"That's great."

Valentina lifted her head and kissed her cheek. "I'm really sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

"Well, now that is a silly question," Juliana murmured as her mouth met Valentina's again. She let the kiss intensify, no longer trying to control herself. Valentina said she was in love with her. Did it get any better than that?

"So your father's not here, right?" Valentina whispered against her lips.

"He is definitely not here," Juliana said as she lowered Valentina on to the pier, her kisses hungry and demanding.

"And do you have a bedroom here?"

Juliana smiled as she leaned up on her elbows. "What are you suggesting?"

"A bed."

Juliana laughed. "Are you afraid we'll fall into the lake?"

"Yes."


	44. Chapter 44

Valentina bobbed in the water, holding tightly to the rope. Juliana, along with Fer and Camz, looked at her expectantly from the boat. She finally gave them the signal that she was ready. As soon as the weather had warmed, Juliana had started teaching her how to ski. It was quite an exciting day when she got up for the first time. She hadn't lasted long before she crashed, but she was immediately hooked. She relaxed now as Juliana put the boat in motion, letting the boat pull her up. She wobbled to the side and almost fell but regained her balance. She laughed happily, the water spraying around her as her skis cut through the water.

Never in a million years would she have believed the turn her life would take. After months of juggling their time between Juliana's duplex and her house, they decided it was time for a move. And while she loved her house, namely her pool and the location, it wasn't where she wanted to start her new life with Juliana.

So after going back and forth, trying to decide if it was too soon to look for their own house, fate took control again. An older home on Lake Travis came up for sale. It needed some work. Okay, it needed a lot of work, but the price was right. They snatched it up and had spent the spring remodelling. They still weren't finished, but they had officially moved in. The commute to work was long for both of them, but it was only twenty minutes from Fer and Camz's place and only ten minutes from Macario's weekend home.

Tax season had been long and brutal, and she was actually thankful she had not been elected president at the CPA banquet. She planned to spend the next few months getting her home office set up so she could work from there a few days each week.

"You're doing great!" Camz yelled as Valentina crossed over the wake and to the other side of the boat.

Valentina laughed, but Camz's words had jinxed her. A few seconds later, she lost her balance and crashed into the lake headfirst, losing one of her skis. She swam over to retrieve it while Juliana circled around in the boat. Valentina floated on her back, waiting to be rescued.

She looked up into the clear blue sky, a contented smile on her face. She absolutely loved living on the lake. She thought she would miss her pool. It was the one thing she used almost daily. But the clear lake waters had beckoned, and she and Juliana swam most evenings after work.

"You okay?"

"Yep. That was so much fun," she said as she held onto the side of the boat. "Who's next?"

"My turn," said Fer.

Camz helped Valentina back into the boat, she sat beside her and towelled off. Aware of Juliana's eyes on her, she turned, meeting her smile.

"You looked pretty good out there," Juliana said.

"Thank you."

"Of course, the bikini helps," Juliana added with a wink.

Valentina laughed and turned back to Camz. "She's got me skinny-dipping in the lake now," she said. "I think I love it more than she does." She whispered.

Camz squeezed her arm affectionately. "I never thought I would see Juliana this happy."

"I never thought I would be this happy," she said, looking dreamily towards Juliana.

"Juliana tells me you and Macario have hit it off?"

Valentina laughed. "Juliana is a carbon copy of her father. We have a standing dinner date with him once a week now."

"Here we go!"

Valentina leaned back as Juliana revved the boat quickly, pulling Fer up on her one ski. She was quite good. Valentina hoped by the end of summer, she would be able to slalom too. She relaxed, her gaze going from Fer to Camz and then to Juliana. Her life had changed so much in the last year. Juliana's best friends were now hers too. And while she still occasionally had lunch dates with women from her old circle, she now knew how little she had in common with them.

As for Caroline, she hadn't seen or spoken to her since that night of the banquet. She heard Caroline and Elizabeth had resumed their relationship. She had also heard that Elizabeth was sporting a very expensive diamond bracelet.

The boat slowed and Fer gracefully dropped back into the water.

"Who's ready for a beer?" Juliana called.

A chorus of "me" had them heading back to the house, ending their skiing for the afternoon. Fer was going to grill fajitas for their dinner, but first they would hang out on the deck and drink a few beers, watching the activity on the lake as boats made their last few passes before dusk. It was a Saturday routine she had grown to love.

She went inside to get a beer for everyone, then laughed as Juliana sneaked up behind her. She sunk back against her for a moment, then turned in her arms, looping her own around Juliana's neck.

"Good day?"

"Wonderful day," she said. "I love you."

Juliana's eyes softened and she kissed her gently. "I love you too."

Valentina smiled as they pulled apart. "Have I thanked you lately for stalking me?"

Juliana laughed. "No. But now that you mention it, Tess has invited us down to the coast next week. She has a free room."

"Next week?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah. We haven't been down there in a long time."

"I know."

"We leave on Monday."

"This Monday?" While she had gotten used to Juliana's spontaneity, she didn't think she could possibly juggle her schedule that quickly.

"I already called Renata."

"You did?" Valentina smiled.

Juliana nodded. "She's taking care of your schedule. It's kinda like our anniversary, you know."

"I suppose it is."

Juliana gave her that flirty, sexy smile that still made her pulse race. "So, what do you say?" Another smile. "Come on Val. Sand. Surf. Shrimp." She wiggled her eyebrows. "And a sex toy. It'll be fun."

Valentina moved against her again, smiling as she kissed her. "Okay. But not necessarily in that order."

Juliana laughed. "Of course not. Shrimp definitely has to come first."

Valentina's smile faded as Juliana pulled her close, kissing her firmly. Her arms circled Juliana's neck again and she sank into the kiss, moaning quietly as Juliana's hands cupped her hips and pulled her closer.

"Hey, what's a girl got to do to get a beer around here?"

They pulled apart guiltily as Fer came into the kitchen.

"Sorry," Valentina said. "My fault."

Fer laughed. "It's okay. We were smooching out on the deck too."

Valentina shoved Juliana away. "Go on out. I'll bring the beer."

She smiled, watching them leave.

_God, I love my life._

**❤️ The End ❤️**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided not to make you wait half the day! 💐 It's Mother's Day so need to go be a good daughter and mummy!   
> Sunshine and rainbows as promised. 🌞🌈  
> 😘 Dot xx 💋

**Author's Note:**

> ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜
> 
> Dedicating these last chapters to my good buddy, annoying older sister, internet bestie... Pinky to my Brain, the Lacey to my Cagney and total bloody drama Queen... TEXAS!👸🏻 AKA... ThatAstrologyChick
> 
> Happy birthday Pinky! 🤠🎂 Yee-haw!
> 
> (I always have William Shatner’s voice in my head saying Texasss!  
> Miss Congeniality for anyone who doesn’t get the reference!)
> 
> ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜
> 
> Find me on twitter and tumblr - @dotdwizard 👠👠
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know if you are enjoying the story.
> 
> Other fics I've been translating...
> 
> ❤️ 'I will fill your Days with Life'  
> ❤️ 'Once Upon a Blog...'  
> ❤️ When, Where & How to Love
> 
> Currently helping @macareynolds translate  
> ❤️ Perfectly of of Key
> 
> Dot xx
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> I want to clarify that this story is not mine.  
> This is my translation of the adaption by @Juliantina_py (with permission!)


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